Beauty in Hockey Gear
by maryeemeeh
Summary: With her incredible strength and athletic ability, Julie Gaffney was always considered one of the boys. But after an awkward encounter with a fellow duck mixed in with influx of hormones, her feelings about herself begins to change as she attempts to find her place in being one of the girls.
1. Prologue

**A/N:** This is my first attempt at a MD fic. It's been years since I've seen the films that I grew up with, and now that I've watched it recently on Netflix, I just have to take a crack at writing something that has been on my mind as of late. I love this pair growing up, and still do after so many years. Not sure if there's still interest out there considering the films were done 2 decades ago, but what the heck. With that said, I hope you enjoy reading.

**Summary: **With her incredible strength and athletic ability, Julie Gaffney was always considered one of the boys. But after an awkward encounter with a fellow duck mixed in with influx of hormones, her feelings about herself begins to change as she attempts to find her place in being one of the girls. Meanwhile, tension rises among the team as they fail to understand what it means for Julie to fit in both worlds.

* * *

**"BEAUTY IN HOCKEY GEAR" **

**Prologue **

The roar of the crowd that echoed along the concrete walls faded into the background as the celebrations that followed the annual JV-Varsity showdown has finally come to an end. The JV hockey team, well known as the Mighty Ducks, continued their celebration—filling the locker room with sheer excitement and joy. Though they have gone through so much together as a team and won numerous games—constantly having to prove their worth to critics who didn't think they could make it—many would agree that this victory was one, if not their greatest achievement yet. It didn't matter to Eden Hall that they were once District 5—a lackluster group of misfits with no potential that evidently rose to the challenge and became champions—or competed in the Junior Goodwill Games and won a gold medal for team U.S.A. None of that mattered once they stepped foot on campus. It was as though their accomplishments were instantly forgotten. They had to prove themselves once again that they indeed belong in a prestigious school like Eden Hall—not just as hockey players but as students.

One by one, the ducks exited the locker room leaving a few members behind who were either still in the showers or changing into extra clothes. Adam Banks, the lead scorer in the team, was one of the very few people still in the locker room. He was absently collecting his gear and placing them in a gym bag when he heard a familiar voice call out his name.

"Hey, Banks!"

He quickly looked over his shoulder and acknowledged his larger teammate's presence who was still grinning from ear to ear after their victory against the Eden Hall Warriors Varsity Team. After all, it was his unexpected goal that gave them the win.

"Hey. What's up, Goldberg?"

"Guy, Connie, Averman and I are going to grab a bite to eat. You should come."

Adam didn't realize how hungry he was until the thought of food made his stomach grumble. Normally he would go out and celebrate with his teammates after a huge win like this one, but after today's physical game, which took so much out of him, he wanted nothing more than to crash on his bed. However, he needed the extra boost of energy to get through the rest of the day and make it to the dorms. He decided then he was going to join them and eat something before he went crashing down in the middle of God knows where. "Alright, sounds good." He replied smiling as he swung his gym bag over his shoulder and followed Goldberg out the double doors and into the hallways.

They walked down the nearly empty hallway as some of the team chatted and waited at the other end near the exit. Adam instinctively placed his hand on his back pocket and realized he left his wallet behind.

"Oh shoot. I forgot my wallet. Hold on a sec." He dropped his gym bag on the floor next to Goldberg and headed straight to the locker room. Upon entering through the double doors, he looked up and spotted Julie with her slightly damped blond hair cascading down past her shoulders, covering half her back, and in the middle of putting a t-shirt over her black bra. "Oh my God…" His lips slightly parted in disbelief, and without warning, the door slammed shut behind him, causing her to turn around in surprise.

"Oh my God, Banks?!" She screamed, quickly straightening her shirt before facing him. "What the hell!"

Though his female companion was fully clothed, he immediately turned away—embarrassed and completely horrified at what he just walked into. "I'm so sorry, Julie. I-I just came back for my wallet, didn't know you were still in here." Adam rambled on nervously, unable to look at her as he felt his cheeks burning red. "I'll just um…go now. Sorry again." He immediately left the room, completely forgetting about his wallet as Julie watched on with narrowed eyes.

"Hey, got your wallet?" Goldberg asked moments later as he handed Adam his gym bag.

"Uh, left it in the dorms," he lied to avoid another awkward run-in with Julie. He needed to get out of there quick.

"Don't worry. I got you." Goldberg assured him as they started down the hallway once again. He immediately noticed the distracted look upon the star athlete's face as he began walking at a faster pace. Goldberg had to keep up. "You alright, man?"

"Yeah, why?" Adam replied hastily, trying so hard not to let the incident get the best of him, even though it was hard not to think about it since it was the first time he walked in on a girl half-dressed, let alone his very own teammate.

Goldberg gave a light shrug. "Just asking. You just look as though you've seen someone naked." He replied, chuckling.

Adam froze halfway towards the exit where the others were waiting outside and slowly turned to Goldberg with wide eyes. A perplexed expression fell on Goldberg's features as he studied Adam carefully whose stunned silence gave too much away. "Oh my God, you've seen someone naked!" Goldberg exclaimed, followed by uncontrollable laughter that resonated in the hallway.

"Shhh! Keep it down."

"Okay, okay." It took a moment for Goldberg to finally calm down as he gave his male companion a playful smirk. "So who was it, man? Did Ken forget his towel and clothes in the locker again?" He asked with such persistence and utter annoyance, Adam knew he wasn't going to get off that easily.

"She wasn't naked, alright. She had a bra on, and her back was towards me, so I didn't see anything."

Goldberg's eyes sprung open. "_She_? You mean…"

"Hey, Perv!" Came that feminine voice they knew all too well as Adam shut his eyes in defeat. _'Dammit!'_ he cursed under his breath as Goldberg shifted his gaze over to Julie and then back at Adam. He smiled knowingly causing Adam to roll his eyes at him.

"I'll uh…see you outside, Cake-eater. Good luck." Goldberg chuckled as he waved to Julie before heading outside to meet the others.

Adam took a deep, steady breath in attempt to gather himself together. It didn't help that his heart was pounding so fast, he felt like throwing up. _'Could this get any worse?'_ He thought worriedly, swallowing the lump that has suddenly risen in his throat as she approached him. Adam then turned around and faced Julie who thankfully looked merely confused, and not angry. "Here's your wallet." She handed him the black leather that held his school ID and a few 20 dollar bills. "Don't worry, I didn't steal anything." She replied hotly causing Adam to wince at her sour mood. But who could blame her?

He awkwardly took the wallet, offering her a faint smile in return. "Thanks…"

Julie shrugged. "Sure, whatever". He immediately noticed her discomfort, the way her arms were folded across her chest, how she was shifting her weight back and forth on both feet, and how she could barely look at him. A sigh escaped from his lips. He knew he needed to fix this for the sake of the team.

"Julie…I'm so sorry." He said, soft and quiet. "I don't know what else to say." The silence stretched between them as she continued avoiding his gaze. "If it makes you feel better, I'm not into you like that…"

She shot him an unamused look, trying to conceal the hurt. Not that she had feelings for him. But she often wondered if the guys in school would ever notice her; see beyond her sporty-tomboyish personality. She didn't care about it before. But ever since drastic changes were happening to her body, her feelings towards the opposite sex were also changing. It surprised her even how much she enjoyed receiving a congratulatory peck on the cheek from the Varsity's goalie, Scooter at the end of game. If it weren't for the sudden changes in hormones, any guy that ever tried to get at her usually ended up on thin ice…literally.

"So you're not into me."

It sounded more like a question than a statement, but Adam was too confused and distraught about what was happening, he didn't even care to notice.

"No, Julie. I swear to you, I never looked at you in that way. You're my friend." He spoke earnestly. "I mean imagine if it was Portman who walked in instead. He would have bragged about it and hit on you for weeks."

A small smile crept over her lips as the tension that mounted between them subsided. Lucky for her, Adam was the perfect gentleman who never showed interest in girls despite the overwhelming attention he was receiving from them. With his handsome boyish looks and athletic ability, he could have any girl he wanted if he put his mind to it. But his entire existence has always been about hockey, and she knows it...the whole team knows it. They thought perhaps there really isn't any room for Adam in the romance department. "Okay, you're right. It could've been _a lot _worse." She conceded calmly.

"Yea," Adam nodded as he felt his muscles relax, finding comfort around Julie. "Anyway, you should ask coach about having separate locker rooms." He suggested, wondering if the other guys ever notice or find it weird that they've been sharing a locker room with members of the opposite sex. Not that it bothered any of them before, but considering they were all _grown up_ and no longer little kids, perhaps it was a good idea to bring it up, especially after his little run-in with Julie. "It must be awkward for you and Connie to be changing in and out of your gear in front of the guys." He continued on, finding the courage to suddenly speak his mind. "I mean…not that it's weird for me. You're just like the guys, so I don't think much of it."

She studied him carefully, deep in thought. It dawned on her that this was the most they said to each other since they met in the Junior Goodwill Games. "So…if I wasn't playing hockey…would I still be considered one of the guys?"

He furrowed his eyebrows, completely baffled at what she was talking about. He just couldn't imagine her doing anything else other than hockey. It was in her nature. "What else would you be doing? You're great at what you do." He replied, smiling.

"I suppose…" she spoke lamely as they finally reached the exit and stepped outside where the others were waiting. All eyes were on them as Adam caught Goldberg nudging on Averman's shoulder who was suppressing a laugh he can barely contain. He glared at them, knowing exactly what was on their minds as they exchanged mischievous grins.

"You told them, didn't you?" Julie muttered quietly, leaning closer to Adam with clenched teeth.

"I'm sorry! I had to explain myself to Goldberg. He doesn't let up."

She grunted in annoyance. "This is just great."

Adam sighed, looking down shamefully. "I'm sorry…"

"Yea, yea. I heard you the _hundredth_ time."

"Can we just forget that this ever happened? Please?"

Julie turned to him, her eyes softening in his gaze. "Forget what happened?" She asked as he offered her a relieved smile.

Moving forward, they agreed to never mention the incident again.

* * *

**A/N:** Thanks for reading. Originally I wanted to post the entire story once I was finished with it, but I just couldn't wait to get it out there. I have the next chapter ready to go, and currently working on the third one. Please send in your reviews and let me know what you think. It's definitely a great motivator for me.


	2. Hockey and Cheer

**Chapter 1**

Half the ducks gathered in the dining room hall during lunch period, sitting at their usual table and lost in conversation about their plans during the off season. They had just won the state championships a few weeks ago with only a few months left in their freshmen year until they become sophomores. Although they were grateful for the much needed break from the grueling hours of practice and Coach Orion yelling at them 24/7, there was still that longing building up in their chests, as if a vital part of them was missing. Lucky for them, they were required to come to practice once a week during the off season, which provided them the perfect excuse to be on the ice again. However, they all agreed they needed something else to do to fulfill that void.

"Portman and I are trying out for the football team." Fulton shared with his teammates, cutting in the middle of the conversations once he and the other half of the bash brothers arrived with their lunch trays.

"Yea, it's going to be pretty sweet!" Portman exclaimed as he gave Fulton a high five, masking his excitement and enthusiasm.

"That's awesome!" Connie replied cheerfully. "I was thinking about signing up for drama for the end of the year school play. I heard it was going to be a musical."

"Lame!" Portman shot back, chuckling playfully as the dark haired female rolled her eyes at his typical "Portman" behavior. "Oh come on. I'm only joking, sweetie." He winked at her to lighten the mood.

"I'm thinking about joining the Equestrian team, y'all." Dwayne announced suddenly in his deep accented voice as they switch their gazes over to him with encouraging nods of approval.

"You'll fit right in, Dwayne." Goldberg said in between stuffing his mouth with fries and chicken fingers. "Man, today's menu is just so delicious!"

"What about you, Goldberg?" Charlie lightly nudged his shoulder as their backup goalie and defenseman stopped eating for a brief moment and shrugged.

"Not sure yet, still thinking."

"Maybe you should join a cooking class so you wouldn't have to eat the entire cafeteria." Portman spat out jokingly, sending a wave of glares from Goldberg and the ladies.

"Ha! Ha! Real funny. Maybe I will!"

"Well if you change your mind, Guy, Averman, Luis and I are thinking about trying out for the soccer team." Charlie added on as it gave Goldberg something to think about._ 'Maybe I'll try out for goalie.' _He thought before returning to his food happily.

Adam Banks joined the rest of the team moments later as he took the empty seat between Julie and Ken. "Hey, Banks." The team greeted him simultaneously as he settled his lunch tray in front of him.

"So what are your plans during the off season?" Julie asked, biting off a piece of carrot.

He gave a light shrug, dropping his backpack on the floor beneath him. "School…work out…train for next season."

"Seriously?" She scoffed with a teasing smile. "Is there anything else you like to do other than hockey?"

"Nope." He gave his straightforward answer and noticed the disbelief look plastered on her face. "What, Jules?"

"Nothing." She said, looking back down at her food as Adam groaned irritably.

"Okay…what are _you_ going to do?"

"Well…" Julie started off hesitantly, placing the fork down as she leaned forward across the table. "I was thinking about…trying out for the JV Cheerleading team."

The general atmosphere in the room shifted as the table grew uncomfortably silent. All eyes fell on Julie as she surveyed their faces carefully, looking to see how they would react to the news. But the unnerving silence stretched even further, rendering the team speechless as she watched their expressions changed from absolute shock to confusion and amusement.

"What?!" Portman was the first to break the awkward silence, making a face that caused Julie to quirk a brow at him. "Cheerleadering?!" He exclaimed before bursting out in hysteric laughter. The others joined in just seconds later, unable to contain themselves as it left Julie feeling annoyed and hurt. Connie, being the other female in the group, was the only one not laughing as she too shared her annoyance.

"What's so funny?" Julie asked glaring at each of her male companions until her cold gaze fell upon Portman who always had something clever to say.

"I'm sorry, babe but I can't picture you in a skirt. I mean, can you even cheer?"

"I cheer you guys on all the time during games." She argued back, her voice sounding defensive.

"But that's different, Jules." Luis replied, knowing all too well about cheerleaders especially now that he is dating one. "First of all, the girls wear tons of make-up. You have to always be cheerful and smiling at the crowd. And you gotta know the choreography, which by the way can be very complex and sexy." He added with a knowing grin, looking over his shoulder where he spotted his girlfriend across the room waving back at him from the cheerleading table. He then turned back to Julie who was rolling her eyes at him. "Bottom line is, cheerleading is a girly sport."

"Newsflash, Luis. I am a girl."

"But you're not a girly girl. You're like a…guy girl." Adam explained as all eyes turn to him in shock. He surprised himself for having said anything at all. He was usually the shy, quiet type who always kept to himself, especially when it came to the opposite sex. But he had no idea what came over him or how he found the courage to speak his mind. He soon regretted it as he dropped his eyes to the floor and sunk lower on his seat, avoiding Julie's cold, penetrating gaze on him.

"Well…thanks for the support, guys." Julie spoke sadly as she gathered her things. "I'm going to class."

"Julie…" Connie made a sympathetic face as they watched their star goalie storm off angrily. She then turned to the others and saw the guilt wash over them. "Great work, guys! Way to break a girl's heart." She grunted irritably as she too grabbed her belongings and left the table to follow Julie to their next class.

"Leave them," Russ said, grabbing Guy's arm to stop him from going after his girlfriend as he reluctantly sat back down. The table soon fell silent as looks of regret and worry spread throughout the group.

"Good going, Banks." Portman retorted. "It's no wonder you don't have a girlfriend."

"Me?!" He scoffed in disbelief. "How was this my fault?! You started it!"

Portman abruptly got out of his chair, prompting Adam to do the same as the bash brother made his way to the other end of the table. "Listen, rich boy! You get off my back, you hear!"

"Oh boy," Ken muttered softly. "Not again."

"Portman, chill!" Fulton grabbed a hold of him while Charlie, Guy, and Russ stood between Portman and Adam before either could get their hands on each other.

"Just stop or else we all go to detention! Not to mention what Coach will make us do when he finds out!" Charlie reminded them, trying to get his team to settle down before things get ugly. He looked around warily and noticed the dining room fell quiet with curious eyes staring at them. It didn't take long for the rest of the team to be aware of their surroundings as they finally cooled off to draw attention away from them.

"Yah know…it's only going to get awkward from here." Goldberg mumbled as the rest of the team settled down and returned to their seats.

"Why you say that?" Averman asked, glancing at his direction in mere curiosity.

"Did you guys forget? Today is the start of our weekly practices." Goldberg smirked as the realization fell upon their bewildered faces. "And I'm betting the Cat isn't going to let any of us score goals today."

* * *

The ducks stepped foot on ice for the first time since the state championships. A few were skating rapid circuits around the ice rink to warm up as others skated aimlessly in small groups, absorbed in mindless chatter. Adam, who skated off on his own briefly fell into step with Charlie and Guy as he joined them for laps around the ice rink.

"So, have you spoken to Connie?" Charlie asked curiously, slowing down the pace and hoping to get some insight on the situation that happened during lunch period. As team captain, he felt it was his responsibility to make sure there was no rift between the team, and if there was, he would do whatever it takes to fix it.

"Yea, we talked." Guy answered in between heavy breaths as they turned at a corner and skated effortlessly behind the net.

"And?" Charlie pushed for more information. "Is Julie still mad?"

"That…she didn't talk about. You know how it is." Guy replied with a smirk. "The girls like to keep to themselves when it comes to girl things."

The boys continued on absently around the ice rink, skating with increasing speed and concentration when suddenly their attention switched over to Julie and Connie in full hockey gear slowly making their way to the ice. They heard Connie laugh about something Julie had whispered in her ear as the girls started their round of laps, mumbling hello to the others as they skated by.

"She's smiling and not avoiding anyone." Charlie observed from the other end of the ice rink. "That's a good sign right?" He asked, turning to Adam for affirmation as he simply shrugged his shoulders.

By the time Coach Orion arrived to practice, the Ducks had finished warming up. He blew on his whistle, motioning the ducks to gather in the center of the ice.

"Good afternoon, team!" He greeted while scanning their faces carefully.

"Good afternoon, Coach!" The team answered rather half-heartedly, starting off strong and then tapering off to mumbles as Orion raised an eyebrow.

"I _said_…good afternoon, team!" He yelled once more, forcing them to wake up.

"Good afternoon, Coach!" They responded with more enthusiasm as an approved smirk played across his crinkled features.

"Good. Take a knee." He commanded, watching as some of the team dropped lazily on the ice. "Alright. Let's start with scrimmage. Count it off, starting with you, Conway."

"1."

"2."

"1."

"2."

"1."

"2."

It continued on until the last count fell on Adam as he joined the rest of the "2s" on the other side of the rink. He looked over at his team briefly and sighed once he realized they will have to score against Julie. His gaze then fell upon Portman who gave him the evil eye, one he gladly returned.

"Alright. Let's go guys!" Goldberg exclaimed as he positioned himself between the posts. This signaled Adam to get in position in the center of the rink to face-off with Charlie.

The scrimmage went on for awhile with both sides going at it, taking shots, hits and misses with the puck. Julie, who was focus and determine, was blocking shots effortlessly, her eyes concentrating on pucks that came flying her way. But underneath her strong exterior and smile was pent up anger towards the guys. She was hurt, and more so frustrated with herself for allowing their opinions effect her. Adam, much to Julie's displeasure, picked on the distraction as he managed to score the only goal for his team to avoid a 0-7 shut out. The sound of the whistle signaled the end of the scrimmage as she removed her mask in frustration and skated to the center.

"Good game, guys!" Goldberg exclaimed as his teammates rolled their eyes at him.

"Not even close!" Ken shot back as he joined the rest of the team in the center of the rink.

"Alright, alright. Settle down." Coach Orion commanded, saying a few more words before dismissing them to the locker rooms.

* * *

After practice, Julie showered and changed as quickly as possible using the individual stalls to avoid awkward run-ins. The incident that happened with Adam months ago remain fresh in her head as a reminder of what could happen if she didn't take precautions. Once she was fully clothed, she shifted her bag strap on her shoulder and hurried out the door only to be met with a dozen pair of eyes staring back at her.

"What the-" She started as she found the whole team all waiting for her down the hallway. She slowly walked over to them, frowning as she studied each face in scrutiny. "What are you guys still doing here?"

"Great playing today, Julie." Charlie started off with a smile as the other guys followed suit plastering grins of their own. She gave them an odd stare, regarding them carefully.

"Okay…" she smirked, "thanks?" She couldn't help but suppress a laugh from their sudden weirdness as she spotted Connie nudging Adam's shoulder in encouragement.

"I'm sorry about what I said, Julie." Adam was shy in his approach as he offered her a sincere smile. "I-_we _should have been more supportive."

"And we're sorry for laughing," Averman added, pausing briefly to collect his thoughts, "even though it was Portman who started the whole thing."

"Oh hell no, smart ass!" Portman turned to him angrily. "You are not going to blame this all on me!"

Averman shrugged his shoulders. "What? I'm only speaking truthfully." He shot back calmly, adjusting his glasses out of habit.

"Just shut up, Averman." He heard Goldberg hissed nearby as Portman shook his head with both fists clenched on his sides.

"Oh you're asking for it, buddy."

Averman gulped down nervously, seeing that Portman was ready to pounce on him. "Oh no." He yelped, positioning himself behind Goldberg and Fulton.

"Guys, chill!" Charlie yelled through the chaos, getting help from the other guys to separate the two. "It's all our fault, alright?! Just stop it already!"

Meanwhile, Julie stood back...leaning comfortably against the wall and watching on in amusement. She appreciated the effort behind their apology, but was getting fed up with their quick banters that seem to always end up in fights. Sadly it has become a norm for the ducks, especially when you have someone like Portman with serious impulse control issues in the same room with Averman, who speaks his mind freely without much thought. Luckily, there's Charlie who often serves as the mediator of the team, keeping the group together.

When she saw that things were getting a little out of hand, and Portman was surely not going to let this one go, Julie released an exasperated sigh and reluctantly made her way between the scuffle. "HEY, GUYS! ENOUGH!" Her high-pitch voiced echoed in the hallway causing the others to finally shut up and settle down. All eyes turn to her as she managed a small smile. "If I accept your apology will you guys stop fighting?" She asked, her gaze following Charlie who immediately shook his head in relief.

"Yes, we promise we'll stop. Right guys?" He turned to the others desperately for their support as they all nodded in agreement.

"Great. Now you guys can apologize to each other and we can call it even." She said, looking from Portman to Averman who stood at a distance from each other. "Come on guys. Let's get this over with so we can be on our way."

Portman groaned despondently, turning around to face Averman who extended his hand first. "Sorry, man."

Portman took his hand in his and shook it firmly. "I accept your apology."

"Dean…" Charlie said with hint of warning behind his voice, forcing Portman to roll his eyes and give in.

"Alright, alright." He replied, half smiling. "I'm sorry, Averman. And I'm sorry too, Julie." He said with a wink.

"Aww. Gee…now that wasn't so hard was it, boys?" Julie grinned teasingly, placing both arms around them as she glanced over at the others. "And you are all forgiven."

They let out an audible sigh of relief.

"Great!" Charlie joined in the small group hug, relieved to see his team in good spirits once again as they all exchange smiles.

"Alright!" Goldberg exclaimed, clasping his hands together. "Now that this matter has settled, let's go get some pizza."

The team rolled their eyes and chuckled. "Oh Goldberg." They chorused in unison as they exited the arena.


	3. Beauty in Uniform

**A/N: **Okay, no reviews is a bit discouraging (lol). But thanks to those who are following the story. I'm taking it as a good sign that you're interested, but if you can take the time to leave a review, I would really really appreciate it. With that said, I hope you enjoy the next chapter.

* * *

**Chapter 2**

Julie gently rubbed her fatigue eyes, flipping aimlessly through her science book, unable to focus on the words and pictures in front of her. She put her head down on the desk in utter frustration and released a distant sigh.

"You alright, Julie?" She heard the concern in her roommate's voice as she looked up and managed a weak smile.

"Yeah…just stressing over mid-terms."

"You're like the smartest girl in class." Connie admitted, shaking her head as she quickly returned to the mirror and finish applying lip gloss. "You'll be fine."

Julie stared at her roommate in thoughtful contemplation, imagining how it would be like to be in Connie Moreau's shoes. Although they were both athletic and equally competitive hockey players, Julie and Connie couldn't be any more different. Connie was beautiful with a bright personality who wore the cutest clothes and always looks her very best, whereas Julie is often seen with a face clear of make-up wearing oversize shirts and faded jeans, and could care less about how her hair looks. But that didn't stop her from wondering what it would be like to be notice...to be seen as more than just a hockey player.

"Are you sure everything is alright?" Connie asked once more, wrenching Julie from her musing as her brows knitted in deep thought. She said nothing at first as she took a moment to gather her thoughts together.

"I don't think I can pull it off." She responded hesitantly causing Connie to look over her shoulder, puzzled by the uncertainty in her voice.

"Pull what off?"

"Cheerleading." Julie groaned, shaking her head to try and clear her mind of such silly thoughts but it didn't work. "The girls on there are just so pretty…and I'm…not."

"Julie Gaffney, are you seriously selling yourself short?!" Connie scoffed in disbelief as she motioned towards her bed and sat down next to her. "You are pretty. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise…" Connie tried reassuring her as Julie lowered her gaze and sighed deeply, feeling quite pathetic with herself for having self-esteem issues. It wasn't an issue before, and she couldn't understand why she is making it an issue now.

A frown fell upon Connie's features as she saw the troubled look on her roommate's face. It was unlike Julie, looking so downcast. She was generally a free-spirited person who didn't care what anyone thinks. But this time was different, and it worried her deeply.

"I'll tell you what, let me help you." Julie shot her roommate a confused look as Connie smiled. "Do you trust me?"

Julie nodded in answer.

"Okay then. Let's get to work!"

* * *

The late nights of studying and cramming for mid-terms next week has made it impossible for Adam to stay awake in history class. Luckily he had Charlie to entertain him about his soccer try-outs and the upcoming season. With so much on his plate and the high expectations riding on him academically and on the ice, Adam couldn't imagine how the other ducks manage to find the time doing other after school activities. But then again, they weren't under alot of pressure as he was as the thought left him feeling envious of the others whose parents only wanted what's best for them. Unfortunately for him, sometimes his best wasn't good enough, and it deeply saddened him the way he could never live up to what his father wanted.

A heavy yawn escaped from Adam's lips as he frequently looked up at the clock, counting down the seconds until lunch period. As soon as the teacher concluded his lecture for the day, the sound of the bell filled the room prompting Adam and the rest of his classmates to leave.

"Ugh, just one more day till the weekend." He heard Charlie murmured from behind as the smile that crept over his face soon turned into a frown when he realized those days would be spent on studying for mid-terms. They headed towards the dining room hall for lunch where they spotted a few of the ducks sitting at their usual table. Once they grabbed food from the cafeteria, Adam and Charlie joined the others.

"Hey, guys. How was class?" Connie greeted them as Charlie took the empty seat next to her with Adam across from him.

"Boring as usual," Charlie muttered, releasing a heavy sigh. "Anyway, have you seen Julie? I need help with Biology."

Connie gave a light shrug. "She should be coming in a bit."

The group spent first half of lunch period eagerly discussing details of their after school activities while others went over mid-term exams, scheduling a day and time to meet for a study session. Adam, however was off to his own word, his mind too consumed with doubts about passing his mid-terms mixed in with limited time training on the ice. He could hear his father's voice playing heavily on his mind reminding him about training hard while also maintaining an above average in his classes. His father could be overbearing as it often leaves Adam overwhelmed by the expectations.

Then suddenly, he noticed a change in the atmosphere as the group fell into silence. A light gasp, followed by audible whispers from a few of the guys broke through his brief reverie causing him to look up at the direction that now occupied their thoughts. He followed their awestruck gazes and caught sight of her face and felt his heart contract.

"Whoa…is that Julie?" Ken spoke breathlessly as their mouths fell open in surprise.

She had on a Warriors cheerleading uniform wearing a skirt that was a few inches above her knees, showing off her slim toned legs and a matching sleeveless top, both of which accentuated her petite figure. Her sandy blond hair was down in subtle curls with light make-up to make her emerald eyes pop and lips full. She wore a tentative smile as she halted in mid-strive, occasionally adjusting the short skirt in attempt to make it look longer. The discomfort can be easily spotted from where the other ducks were sitting as she forced a timid smile at their way.

"Who knew Julie could be such a total babe!" Portman exclaimed in disbelief causing Adam to roll his eyes at the remark as Julie motioned towards their table.

"Who knew she had legs." Russ said, grinning as they found their eyes straying down at them.

"Hey, guys." She gave them a welcoming smile, forcing them to peel their eyes from her legs as she slid into the seat at the end of the table next to Connie. "What's going on?"

"Well hey there, Cat lady." Goldberg beamed at her, followed by a suggestive grin. "How's it going?"

"Nice uniform."

"Congrats on making the team."

"Looking good, Jules."

She smiled in pleased embarrassment as she felt her cheeks go red. "Gee..thanks, guys." She shyly tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear as she looked up and caught Adam staring intently at her. He blinked a few times before turning away to hide the blush that threatened to appear.

"Oh my God, Julie." Connie squealed, nudging on her shoulder and causing Julie to avert her gaze from Adam. "Scooter is coming over here." She whispered excitedly as the sound of his name made her insides clenched, a feeling she last felt when he kissed her on the cheek after their much needed win against the Varsity team.

"What? No way." Julie turned around and spotted Scooter leaving his group of Varsity friends and making his way to their table as a surprise smile slowly brightens her face.

"Hey, guys." He greeted, smiling briefly at the JV team before turning his attention over to their star goalie. "Hey, Julie."

She looked up and smiled shyly at him. "Hey, Scooter." She greeted calmly despite her racing heart that seem to accelerate every second. "What's up?"

"Can I speak with for a sec?" He asked, leaning on the table with his other hand resting on the back of her chair so his body was directly facing her. She could feel her breath slightly hitched at how close they were as she took a moment to gather herself together. "Let me walk you to your next class?" He offered with a grin that instantly made her heart flutter.

She nodded in reply, trying to contain her emotions. "Sure." She turned to the others, her lips pressed together shyly as she spotted Connie nodding and smiling in encouragement. "I'll see you guys around."

"Later, Jules."

"Bye." The guys chorused in unison as they watched the two star goalies exited the dining hall. They exchanged matching grins before breaking into conversation.

"I wonder what he wants with Julie." Adam wondered curiously, avoiding the unusual pang he suddenly felt in his heart.

"Isn't it obvious?" Luis snorted, shaking his head. "The guy is totally into her!"

"Yeah! And I bet 10 bucks Scooter will make Julie his girlfriend by the end of the day." Portman blurted out causing the others to join in on the chatter.

"He barely said a few words to her at the end of the JV-Varsity team, and now a couple of months later in cheerleading uniform and a new look, he is all of a sudden interested?" Adam scoffed in disbelief, unaware of the suspicious and surprise looks his teammates were giving him. "I don't trust the guy." Silence fell upon the group as they all exchanged playful grins. He looked at them, confused. "What?"

"Sounds like you're jealous, Banks." Connie teased, causing Adam to make a distorted face at the accusation.

"I am not jealous." He groaned irritably, rolling his eyes and laughing nervously. "Absolutely not."

"Are you trying to convince yourself or us, Cake-eater?" Russ gave a smirk, sending a wave of giggles from the group.

"I-"

"Yeah, and when have you become so vocal about things that have nothing to do with hockey?" Guy snapped back curiously before Adam could say anything in reply, leaving him annoyed and flustered.

"Forget it." Adam had enough with the good-natured teasing as he abruptly got up from the seat and grabbed his backpack from the floor. "I'll see you guys later."

"Aww, come on Banksie!" Charlie yelled from the table, smirking. "We're just messing with you."

"Tell Julie I said hi!" Adam heard Portman said between laughs as he lifted his middle finger in mid-air before exiting through the double doors.

* * *

Adam returned to the dorms after school that day, relieved to see that he had the room to himself for a few hours until Charlie arrives from soccer practice. He lied down sprawled on the bed, basking in the comfort of his sheets and pillows as his mind drifted in deep contemplation. He thought about mid-terms and the list of things he had to do from now till the first day of exams, and then went off course as his troubled thoughts soon fell upon Julie. The way her hair flowed in waves to adorn her glowing skin with those bright, emerald-green eyes that highlighted her angelic face was an image he could not shake off. She was beautiful. He knew that since the first time he laid eyes on her, but never fully admitted it to himself until now.

A frustrated sigh slipped from his lips as his eyes began to slowly drift to sleep. He felt his consciousness ebbing away, slipping off into darkness when a sudden knock on the door broke through the silence. Groaning, he buried his face under the pillows, hoping the person behind the door would go away.

"Charlie?" Came that familiar voice as Adam shot up from bed, furrowing his eyebrows. "Hello? Anyone in there? It's Julie." His eyes widened in disbelief as he forced himself up from bed and headed straight to the door.

"Julie?" He answered in surprise, opening the door just enough to stick his head out. He noticed she still had on her cheerleading uniform as he had to force his eyes not to roam down to her slim, toned legs.

"Oh hey, Adam." She smiled her radiant smile, one that left him breathless. "Is Charlie in there? Connie told me he needed help with biology and I thought I drop by and give him my notes."

"No, he's at soccer practice." He replied nervously, opening the door wider as an invitation to come in, but neither of them moved.

"Okay. Well, I guess I'll just leave my notebook here." Adam nodded as he took the notebook and idly tossed it on Charlie's desk nearby. "Thanks…"

"Sure."They stood for a few seconds in silence with their eyes wandering aimlessly on the floor. She saw that there was something nagging in the back of Adam's mind as he absently scratched the top of his head, struggling to find the words. "So um…you and Scooter…" He finally had the courage to say after what appeared to be a long minute of standing in front of her, dumbfounded.

She looked up at him in surprise and chuckled nervously. "Oh no…we're just friends. Not sure where that's going honestly." There was a brief pause as Adam simply nodded his head, trying to ignore the longing building up inside his chest. "Why? Did the guys say anything?" She asked curiously.

"Well…" he shrugged, followed by a nervous smile. "Portman did bet 10 bucks that you and Scooter will get together by the end of the day."

Julie rolled her eyes. "I'm going to kill him." Adam lightly chuckled in response. He felt relieved to see that despite the new hair, outfit and make-up she wore, she was still Julie. "Anyway, I should get going." She said, fully aware of some of the guys staring at her down the hallway as the discomfort clouded her features. "Tell Charlie I stopped by?"

"Of course." He smiled as she turned around to leave. "Oh and, Julie?" He called out to her, causing the blond to stop a few dorms down and look over her shoulder at his direction.

"Yea?" His gaze softened as a small smile crept over his lips.

"Becareful with Scooter." He spoke earnestly as she could see the concern etched in his piercing blue eyes. "He may be a nice guy, but remember who his friends are."

She nodded, smiling appreciatively at him before turning at her heels and disappearing around the corner.

* * *

**A/N:** Please don't forget to review! Thanks! =)


	4. Almost Been Kissed

**A/N: **Yay, reviews! Thanks to _Sabercat7,_ _fangirl_ and _CloudyGumdrops_ for sending in their reviews. Totally made my day! I hope you enjoy this chapter. I had so many versions of it, but I liked how this turned out. Things will start picking up, you'll see! ;-)

* * *

**Chapter 3**

It was day 2 of mid-term week as Julie found herself being the first one in her class to have completed the Biology exam. She quickly glanced over at Charlie sitting in the back of the room as he looked up at her in disbelief before shaking his head and returning to the test. She smiled upon leaving the classroom, relieved to have finished her first exam for the day as she began making her way to the library to squeeze in some studying time before her next class. She entered the library, which was expectantly full of anxious students cramming restlessly during exam week. She walked in further pass the computer lab and up the stairs to the second floor, scanning a familiar face until she caught sight of Adam sitting at a corner table. Julie smiled, noticing his disheveled hair as she motioned towards him.

"Hey, Adam. Do you mind if I join you?"

He looked up from his history book, surprised to see her, this time wearing cheer warm up pants and a matching jacket, much to her satisfaction as he could see how comfortable and beautiful she looked in them. "Oh hey, Julie. No, I don't mind at all." He couldn't help but smile as the stress he had over his next mid-term slowly subsided. "What are you doing here? Don't you have a Biology test with Charlie?"

"I did, but finished early." She replied candidly, sliding into the seat across from him while taking books out from her backpack.

"That easy, huh?" He smirked as she gave a careless shrug.

"It was alright, nothing too difficult."

The two sat in comfortable silence with books laid out in front of them. Mid-way through the hour, Adam would occasionally glance over his textbook and notice the look of determination and focus behind her emerald eyes. He thought about how far they have come when they first started off as strangers during their stint in the Junior Goodwill Games to now running in to each other between classes and sharing a few words before going their separate ways. Not that he was complaining. He genuinely found comfort in her presence.

"So I've been meaning to ask you…" He was suddenly shaken from his thoughts as her soft, quiet voice cut through the silence. Her eyes were slowly traveling up to meet his as he looked up and saw a playful grin beginning to form on her lips. "How come you don't have a girlfriend?"

His eyebrows flew upward at the suddenness of the question. "Uh..." He opened his mouth to reply, but no words would surface as he felt the knot of tension in his stomach. Julie noted his discomfort as she offered him a faint smile in return.

"You don't have to answer. I just thought you should know that many of the cheerleaders are eyeing you." She admitted teasingly.

"Really?" He choked up in surprise causing Julie to roll her eyes at him.

"You're insanely modest and clueless, you know that?"

Adam smiled a little as his cheeks grew warmer at the thought. He never knew how to take compliments well no matter how often he received them.

"Anyway, the girls ask about you all the time and you wonder why I choose not to eat lunch with them." She shook her head irritably accompanied by an amused smirk. He then stared at her as though he wasn't entirely sure what to make of her.

"So how's cheerleading going for you?" He asked, not to intentionally change the subject but because he was genuinely curious. Did she like it? Was she fitting in? These were questions that kept lingering in the back of his head, but then there haven't been many opportunities where they could just sit down and talk about it till now.

She was caught off guard as she stared at him blankly, searching his bright blue eyes. "I just told you a bunch of cheerleaders are interested in you and the first thing that comes to mind is how cheerleading is going for me?" She spoke in disbelief, followed by a light chuckle that made his insides clenched. "You do have it bad for hockey…" she teased.

"I do care about you more than a bunch of girls I don't even know," was his reply as he felt his heart swelled when she gazed up at him intently and saw the look of awe residing in her eyes. His eyes fell back down on his book, embarrassed as he tries to re-focus his concentration on the exam he remembered he had to take in a couple of minutes.

"Thank you." Her voice was soft and sincere as he shifted his nervous gaze back at her, "and if you must know, cheerleading is...not what I imagine it to be."

He raised an eyebrow at the trace of uncertainty in her voice. "Okay…"

"Well, it's nothing like hockey." She laughed somewhat lamely as it made him laugh along with her. "But it definitely has its perks." Adam said nothing as she took it as an invitation to continue on. "The attention I've been getting can be weird and overwhelming at times, but it's nice…" she averted from his intent gaze and smiled, "it's nice to be notice for once."

He tilted his head to the side as confusion fell upon his features.

"Julie…what makes you think you're not being notice? You're the star goalie in the JV team, not to mention one of the best female athletes in the entire school." He admitted as she felt her breath slightly hitched at the kind words.

"That's just it. I'm Julie Gaffney, the star goalie…tomboy, and athlete." She frowned, sighing as she lowered her gaze solemnly. "I feel like that's all I will ever be…"

He paused, regarding her carefully. He knew she was more than just a talented hockey player. She was also smart and beautiful who carried herself in such a way that was captivating, not just on the ice but off as well. If no one could see that, he certainly did. "Is that why you joined the team?"

She nodded her reply. "Not sure if it's even worth it anymore." Julie said with a lighthearted chuckle. "I have nothing in common with the girls. All they talk about is boys, hair, make-up...clothes," she made an annoyed face as she spoke, "it drives me crazy especially when I live with a roommate who talks about the same things, besides hockey of course which makes her tolerable."

"I bet." He snickered as a grin clung to his lips.

"Please don't say anything to the other guys." She pleaded as her emerald eyes softened in his gaze. They were barely getting to know each other, but there was just something about Adam that made her feel comfortable and safe. He was trustworthy and she couldn't help but share things with him she would normally reveal to Connie...and only Connie. "I know they are being so weird about it…and I don't want to make it even weirder than it already is." She explained as he nodded and offered her a reassuring smile.

"I understand, Julie. I promise I won't say anything."

"Thanks, Adam." Smiling, she gathered her books together. Adam quickly glanced over at the wall clock and saw they only had a few minutes left before their next class as it prompted him to do the same. "I'll see you in practice." She said once they stood outside in front of the library where they were met with the crisp breeze that rustled through their hair.

"Yea, see ya. And good luck on your exams." He weakly smiled before turning around in the opposite direction, his mind now focused and determined to ace his History exam.

* * *

Adam arrived in the Eden Hall Academy arena half an hour earlier than scheduled, as he often did to get some alone time on the ice before the rest of the ducks showed up for practice. He survived the toughest part of his mid-term exams with only a paper and a math test to worry about before the upcoming winter break.

Once he was dressed in full hockey gear, he stepped onto the ice, leaving a trace of snow behind him as he began to lose himself around the rink and find comfort in being alone with his thoughts.

His mind then drifted aimlessly with his eyes fixated on the ice as he skated with grace and increasing speed unaware of the person that suddenly stepped foot on the ice.

"Hey, Banks—whoa, watch out!"

Adam immediately looked up at the sound of a familiar voice, but his late reaction made it impossible for him to stop on time as he collided with someone who appeared to have a smaller build than he was. Limbs were flailing as he lost his footing and fell back on the ice causing the petite figure to fall right on top of him. He let out a disgruntled groan, internally grateful for the pads underneath their uniform providing extra cushion to lessen the blow. He then removed his helmet and looked up to see the beautiful blond smiling down on him.

"Julie?" He gasped in surprise, his head spinning at the thought of having her so close to him and on top.

"We need to stop meeting in such awkward circumstances, Banks." She teased, reminding him of the the locker room incident from months ago. She slowly got up and offered him a hand. Adam's heart began to race uncontrollably at the contact as he stood up in front of her with a tentative smile.

"Sorry, I thought I was alone..."

"I figured I find you here by yourself." She replied, casually falling into step with him as they began skating idly around the ice rink, leaving their helmets and sticks on top of the goal net.

"Hmm, coming to me twice in one day?" He spoke lightheartedly. It was surreal to have Julie's undivided attention to himself and to be able to talk to her so easily. "I'm beginning to think you're falling for me." He grinned causing his female companion to roll her eyes at him. They skated in silence for a few moments as he glanced over at her and frowned, noting the discomfort that settled behind her emerald eyes. She appeared nervous and uncertain, quite the opposite to how she was earlier in the library.

"You alright?" He asked curiously, breaking the silence that stretched between them.

She bit her bottom lip as though she was not entirely sure how to begin. "Look, I was going to wait until you finished your mid-terms for the day."

There was hint of nervousness behind her wavering voice as he swallowed thickly. He figured it must be something real important for her to wait and arrive a few minutes early to catch him alone on the ice. "Okay..."

She took a deep breath, one she held for quite some time as Adam found himself feeling just as nervous. "I was hoping you can do me a huge favor, and I mean it's HUGE like you'll either love me or hate me for it."

"What kind of favor are we talking about?" He asked skeptically as they made a sharp turn and skated around the goal.

"You know when I told you about having a hard time fitting in with the rest of the girls on the team?"

"Uh huh..."

"Well..." she pressed her lips together, pausing in mid-sentence, "the captain of the JV squad really wants to go on a date with you, and I told her that I would mention it to you...so I kinda promised her I would set the whole thing up..."

His eyes sprung open in disbelief. "You what?!" He exclaimed, stopping abruptly on his skates as he turned around to face her.

"Look, this will give me huge brownie points, not to mention how awesome I'll be to the team if I manage to pull it off." She had a full on smirk, one that made his knees go weak.

"Julie..."

"Oh, please, Adam. It's only one date. I promise." She begged, pursing her lips with the puppy dog expression he never saw her use before till now. "And who knows? Maybe you'll end up liking her..."

"I don't even know who the hell this girl is!"

"You will after today..." She said with pleading eyes he could not resist. He lowered his gaze and breathed in a deep sigh.

"You do realize I never been on a date, let alone go up and talk to a girl before." He said lamely as the thought terrified him.

"You talk to me and Connie."

"That's different." He groaned. "We're on the same team, which requires team building and communication. I kind of had no choice," he added jokingly with a hint of frustration in his tone.

She bit her lip and smiled innocently at him. "There's a first for everything?"

"Argh, Julie..." he shook his head in dismay as he brushed his un-gloved hand over his face with exhaustion in thinking about it. "I can't believe I'm letting you talk me into this..."

"Does that mean you'll do it?" She asked hopefully, smiling brightly at him.

He looked at her, struggling internally to find the words between his thoughts, his emotions, and what he needed to say...or didn't want to say. But as he stared fixedly at the beautiful female standing in front of him, begging for his help...Adam just couldn't find it in himself to say no to her face. "Sure," he nodded hesitantly, followed by an exasperated groan. "For you, I'll do it."

"Oh, Adam!" She grinned happily. "Thanks! You're the best!" She leaned upward with her hand resting on his shoulder and planted a soft kiss on his cheek. His eyes flew up in surprise as he turn to look at Julie smiling sweetly at him.

Her deep emerald eyes stayed locked on him, seemingly lost in the sea of blue. She could feel him breathing deeply and his cheeks turning a lighter shade of red as they stood like that for what seemed like ages. The silence floated around them, everything frozen in mid-air. He searched deep into her eyes as the atmosphere between them changed, charged with an electric, exhilarating anticipation. She felt her throat constrict as her eyes flickered down to his lips, willing him as he slowly leaned towards her.

Distinct voices and laughter of the occupants filled their ears, breaking the hold between their eyes as they snapped their heads back and turn frantically to the direction of the other ducks filing from the locker room. Julie and Adam acknowledged their presence and waved carelessly at them as they stepped onto the ice and began skating idly for warm-ups, seemingly unaware of what was going on. Julie reluctantly turn back around to face Adam as their eyes met in an intense stare, mixed with a look of shock and confusion on both parts. Julie shifted uncomfortably on her skates, unable to directly look at him as the wave of tension washed over them.

"I'll um...give you directions, the time and place for your date tonight." She murmured quietly as Adam grimaced at the look of regret and worry that crossed her face. He certainly knew this changes things for them as he lowered his gaze, feeling the turmoil swell over him.

"Uh yeah...sure." He replied nervously, rubbing the back of his neck as she turned around to join the others. Adam caught sight of Charlie from across the rink, staring at Julie and then at him with a perplexed expression on his face. _'Damn it,'_ Adam thought with utter annoyance, looking down to avoid his questioning eyes as he grudgingly started doing laps around the ice rink.

But as time went on, he grew nauseous, letting his mind dwell on the moment he almost kissed Julie Gaffney, and how badly he wish to go back and change it. They were in a good place, getting to know each other and talking more only to be set back because he was too caught up in the moment...too caught up in her lips beckoning him, wondering what they would feel like against his own.

Adam let out a frustrated sigh and then felt his stomach churn when he remembered he also had a date later that night. _'Fuck.'_

* * *

**A/N:** Don't forget to leave a review! Thanks =)


	5. Caught in the Moment

**A/N: **Thanks to _Lover of Books 97, __CloudyGumdrops, IllusionsOfBliss _and _Anonymous _who reviewed the previous chapter. I really appreciate it. Again, it's a great motivator for me, so keep those reviews coming. I apologize for the late update! I've been busy with work, but with a few days off I manage to finally complete this chapter, which by the way is longer than my previous chapters (hehe). With that said, I hope you enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter 4**

The response of the shower was immediate as the metallic head that hung loosely above him spread water unto his body, the cold making his muscles tense. The water gradually warmed him, soothing the ache that clawed at his limbs from the previous practice. He slowly lowered his gaze, letting the water fall carelessly around him as he fell into deep contemplation. He thought about plans he made for the winter break aside from focusing on his hockey training and spending some quality time with a few of the ducks who resided in Minnesota.

And then there was Julie as the thought of nearly kissing her made his head spin and stomach turn. He couldn't comprehend what happened that day. All he wanted was to stop thinking about it to spare himself the stress and agony that would inevitably come with reliving the memory but he couldn't. Once it was out, his thoughts of her were too powerful to be ignored. Even though he never wanted to get involved, never wanted for any of this to happen, the events of that day had set it in motion and there was nothing he could do to stop it.

She was leaving for Maine first thing in the morning, and he wasn't entirely sure if they were ever going to speak again or if they were even friends at the moment. Sadly, it has been a few days since they last spoken...the same day she persuaded him to go on a movie date with one of her teammates.

He remembered the awkward and agonizing experience vividly, having to explain to a nosy Charlie the play-by-play recap of that night.

_"…we just went to the movies, barely said a word to her, and that was it. Nothing happened." _

_"That's it?" was Charlie's reply as a disappointed frown fell upon his features. "You went on a date with one of the hottest girls in school and you didn't try to hold her hand? Give her a goodnight kiss?" He scoffed, shaking his head in disbelief. "You know how many guys would kill to be in your shoes?" _

Adam thankfully didn't say much as the movie allowed him to avoid the awkward conversations he dreaded having all night. There was a brief period from the time they met in the theater to the start of the movie when the discussions ensued. His date did most of the talking, asking basic questions and going on about mindless topics he could care less about. Adam managed to say a few words here and there, offering mostly one-worded answers and nothing else to carry on the conversation further.

_"I watch your games. You're an amazing hockey player." She flashed him a bright smile as they entered the double doors of the movie theater. He simply shrugged in acknowledgement. _

_"Thanks..." _

Despite his lack of effort in making the date worthwhile, the head JV cheerleader seem to have enjoyed herself, smiling and giggling frequently whenever she spoke while also trying to get Adam to hold her hand by sneakily moving closer to him. But he kept his hands clasped together on his lap, making no moves as he could hear her sigh in frustration and settled for resting her head on his shoulder without protest. He figured the least he could do was give her the satisfaction of having some contact with him. At least now she can go around in school and tell everyone they went on a date; a date he never wanted to go to in the first place.

And all this for Julie.

A distant sigh slipped from his lips as he turned off the shower head and grabbed a towel nearby, wrapping it around his bare waist. He gathered his worn clothes and left the shower room to return to the dorms just down the hallway. Upon his arrival, he looked up from his musing and stopped mid-strive, suddenly unable to breathe. There she stood, the blond who has occupied Adam's thoughts as of late standing in front of his dorm room with her back towards him. He watched intently, noting her discomfort as her head hung low in contemplation. She would raise her fisted hand in mid air to knock on the door only to stop half-way, immediately dropping her hand to the side and slumping her shoulders in defeat. She shook her head, releasing a heavy sigh as she turned around and met his eyes in an intense stare.

"Adam."

Her mouth gaped open in surprise as she found her eyes straying down to his well-toned body with water droplets trickling down his porcelain skin. She felt her cheeks go red as she immediately looked away in embarrassment. "I'm so sorry!" Was all she managed to sputter out, completely at a loss for words as they stayed in uncomfortable silence for a few seconds. He saw her shaking her head and impatiently tapping her foot against the floor as the frustration settled in her rigid posture. "But seriously, why aren't you wearing any clothes?" She asked, her voice slightly tinged with annoyance. Adam blushed, forgetting for a brief moment that he was only wearing a towel as he slightly covered himself up with the clothes he was carrying.

"I just got out of the shower." He replied and closed his eyes, mentally kicking himself for coming off as such an idiot.

"Well...this is awkward." She inwardly groaned, shifting her weight from one leg to the other. She tried excessively hard to think about what she wanted to say to him and not of his nearly naked body. "We certainly have impeccable timing."

"And prone to awkward situations." He added nervously, scratching the top of his damped hair, hoping to will away the embarrassment and discomfort of it all. Julie said nothing as the tension between them heightened with anticipation. "What are you doing here, Julie?" He asked timidly, still trying to get over the initial shock that she was actually speaking to him.

"Can you at least put some clothes on first before we engage in some conversation?" He heard the humor and uneasiness that tugged at her words, causing him to weakly smile.

"Right. I'll uh...change real quick and meet you outside?"

Julie nodded in agreement, shielding her eyes as she abruptly rushed past him.

He entered his dorm room and closed the door behind him, leaning his head wearily against the wood for support. He could feel his own heart beating erratically against his chest, mentally berating himself for sinking into the depths of Julie Gaffney.

"What the hell is wrong with you?"

Startled, Adam suddenly looked up as Charlie stood in front of him with questioning eyes. He swallowed thickly, motioning towards his side of the room. "Nothing." He murmured, choosing to say as little as possible even though he knew he would have it sooner or later.

"Was that Julie?" He asked as Adam nodded mutely. "And she saw you wearing only that?" Charlie couldn't help but chuckle at the flustered look on his face. Adam rolled his eyes as he began changing behind the closet door. "You need to relax. It's not like she hasn't seen you shirtless before."

Adam remained wordless as he pulled a clean shirt over his head and stepped out behind the closet door fully dressed.

"Unless of course there is more to it than you are letting on..." Charlie muttered curiously as Adam shrugged at the bewildered look he was giving him.

"What are you talking about?" He questioned lamely causing Charlie to roll his eyes at him.

"Oh come on. Ever since she set you up on that date, you two have been avoiding each other like a plague! Not to mention Julie has been avoiding the rest of the team and no one seem to know why." He exclaimed, studying Adam's face carefully. "Did something happen that I need to know about?"

"Not really."

"Banks..." Charlie folded his arms across his chest and cocked an eyebrow as he stared at him. "Could you at least look at me with a straight face?" Adam heaved a sigh and faced him, unsure of what to say or do. "What's going on?" He asked again, his worried gaze now locked onto his.

"I-" Adam dragged in a deep breath and shut his eyes. He was uncertain about starting the conversation without it coming off wrong. The last thing he wanted was for their Captain to freak out and get angry for possibly ruining team dynamics and their chance at winning state. "I almost kissed Julie." He inquired helplessly, a muscle in his jaw twitching as he blatantly tried to suppress his emotions.

Charlie blinked, his mouth shut in a straight line as he opened them slightly but couldn't find the words. Adam sat down on the edge of his bed and brought his fingers up to his temples, rubbing them in slow circles. "Wait..." he trailed off, trying to wrap his head around the sudden news. "Come again? You what?"

Adam huffed in frustration, shaking his head as he tossed his hair out of his eyes. "I'm sure you heard me the first time."

"You almost kissed Julie? As in _our_ Julie?" He inquired, a disbelieving tone in his voice as his silence gave away the answer. But before Adam could reply, his mind drifted to Julie, suddenly remembering that she was still waiting for him as he got up from his bed and hurriedly exit the room, leaving a confused Charlie behind. "Banks!" He yelled, watching in disbelief as the door shut behind him. "Oh you got to be kidding me!"

* * *

There was a freezing chill in the air as she stood outside the male dorms. She inhaled deeply, filling her lungs with cool air as she shut her eyes to revel in her surroundings, allowing the cold seep through her veins and numb her fingers. Her mind went back to her earlier thoughts. Thoughts that she couldn't seem to rid of Adam Banks. Thoughts at that very moment made her stomach churn. She spent the last few days replaying what transpired between her and Adam over and over in her head. The more she thought about it, the more confused and conflicted she felt about it.

She purposely avoided him and the rest of the ducks for fear that if they asked her what was wrong, she'd slip and tell them. She wouldn't mind sharing her dilemma with Connie and getting her perspective on the matter, but this time was different as they were all in the same team. Who knew how'd she react to the news or how the team could ever get pass it without letting it affect their game? Luckily for her, Connie did not push the subject further.

"Julie?"

She turned at the sound of the familiar voice behind her. Her thoughts were miles away and it took her a moment longer than expected to realize that Adam was speaking to her. She cleared her throat, glancing up cautiously to meet his intense blue eyes. "Hey..."

He weakly smiled, expelling a nervous breath he held for quite some time as he stuff his hands in the front pockets of his gray sweats. "Hi..."

She chewed on her lower lip, deliberating mentally as they stood in relative silence. "So um...Eva had a great time the other night."

Puzzled, Adam wrinkled his forehead. "Who?"

"Eva?" She quirked a brow at him. "The cheerleader you went out with the other night?"

"Oh...right." He lowered his gaze and smiled nervously. "Fun times." There was hint of sarcasm in his voice as Julie smirked playfully at him. He frowned with an unsettling thought in mind. "I hope you didn't stop by to ask me to go on a second date with her."

Julie shook her head and chuckled smoothly, a rich, amused sound that sent a chill down his spine. "Oh no. I did promise you only one date. And from the looks of it, you suffered enough." She added lightheartedly as the thought of her speaking to him again made his heart flutter. "But I didn't come here to talk about that."

He slowly nodded, the silence stretching between them until it became disconcerting. Squirming uncomfortably, her gaze wandered off his eyes and settled on the ground. She drew in a deep nervous breath, trying so hard to keep her emotions at bay. "Look...about what happened-"

"I'm sorry." His reply was instant, letting it be known that it bothered him as much as it did for her. "I wish I could take it back, but I was so caught up in the moment...I didn't know what I was thinking."

She listened intently as relief coursed right through her. "Adam, you weren't the only one who got caught up in the moment." She admitted shyly as a small smile fell upon his serious features. "We got carried away, and luckily nothing happened."

"I just hope this doesn't change things between us. I mean it's not like...we actually kissed..." He added nervously.

"I know." Julie took a deep breath, glancing away from him for a brief moment. "I haven't made things any easier by avoiding you and I'm sorry. I just...didn't know what to say to you at the time." Adam nodded his understanding, relieved to finally have this much needed discussion that has been eating him up inside since day one. "Anyway, I couldn't go back to Maine without making sure things were alright between us."

"We're okay, Julie." He said as he offered her a reassuring smile, one that made her feel more relaxed than she ever been in the last few days. "I'm just glad we finally talked."

"Me too." Silence settled over them for a few moments, the tension in the air heavy and thick. Adam could hear his female companion shift uncomfortably on her feet. "Anyway, I'll uh...see you later tonight at Mickey's diner?" He gave her confused look as she laughed. "I guess you didn't get the memo. All the ducks are meeting at Mickey's diner before we all go our separate ways for the winter break."

"Oh, that's right." He absently shook his head, remembering the bit of information that slipped so easily. His mind was too consumed with thoughts of Julie to concentrate properly. "Charlie did mention it to me."

"So I'll see you there then?" She playfully nudged on his shoulder as the quick touch of her bare arm against his skin was all it took to make his insides churn.

He felt his knees weakened as she smiled expectantly at him, "of course."

* * *

Julie was quiet for the duration of the ride back to the Moreau's residence from Mickey's diner where she will be staying for the night before heading to the airport the following morning. She could feel Connie's eyes on her as they sat quietly in the back seat with Connie's father behind the wheel and her mother on the passenger side. Julie did her best to act like everything was fine, but Connie could tell that it wasn't. It was disconcerting and she tried to keep her focus out the window, intently watching the street lights pass them by so she wouldn't have to answer any of the questions she knew her female companion beside her wanted to ask. Julie shifted uncomfortably in her seat and she knew the question and answer session was apparently going to start soon. "Are you okay?" Connie started off slowly, pulling Julie out of her thoughts.

"Uh huh," She murmured, not at all convincing as she kept her gaze fixed to the brilliant night sky.

"You sure?" Her tone indicated that she knew Julie's answer was a lie and wasn't about to let the subject rest. "Because you were awfully quiet during dinner." Julie shot her roommate a confused look.

"I talked."

"Barely." The dark haired female chewed on her lip for a moment, debating. "It's like something had happened or you had something on your mind the whole time."

Julie sighed. "Connie..."

"Does this have to do with why you've been avoiding the team?" She asked worriedly, noting the discomfort behind her emerald eyes.

"Everything's okay now." Julie forced a smile to her lips. "I wouldn't have come if it wasn't."

"But...?" Connie had been casting the same worried glance at her since they arrived at the diner as she drew in a deep breath.

"But nothing. I'm fine." Julie spoke rather tentatively. "Everything's fine. It's been a long day packing."

"So you're tired? That's all it is?" She pressed. "Your preoccupied mood has nothing to do with why Charlie has been eyeing you and Adam suspiciously or why you and Adam can barely look at each other, and when you guys do, there's this knowing look shared between you two as if something happened."

Julie groaned, wishing her roommate and best friend wasn't so annoyingly observant. "Okay, maybe..." Connie didn't say anything as Julie trailed off, her voice quiet. "I thought after talking to him things would just go back to normal." She looked down, expelling a shaky breath with Connie staring at her in bewilderment.

"Okay...what the hell is going on?" The confusion was evident in her tone.

"Adam and I..." Julie paused, trying to find the words as a shudder worked its way down her spine at the thought. "We...almost kissed."

Connie's eyebrows flew up in surprise. "Adam Banks?" Connie's mother questioned suddenly as her daughter shot her an unamused look from the rear view mirror. "Oh he is a lovely young man."

"And an amazing player too." Her father added.

"Mom...Dad..." Connie groaned in annoyance. "Please don't."

"Oops, sorry." Mrs. Moreau smiled sheepishly as she purposely turned up the volume of the stereo. "Don't mind us, girls. Just pretend we're not here." She glanced at her husband before looking over her shoulder at Julie with a warm smile. She sunk lower into her seat and felt her cheeks warm in embarrassment.

"I didn't realize you and Adam-"

"It's not like that." Julie retorted, raking a hand through her blond hair. "I don't...I mean we're not..." She stammered, heaving a weighty sigh. "We got caught up in the moment. One minute we were talking and the next our eyes locked. It was...just a weird, random moment that didn't mean anything."

Connie simply nodded as a grin crossed her face. "Seems like you've been thinking awfully a lot about something that supposedly didn't mean anything..."

Julie could feel the discomfort lurking in the pit of her stomach at the realization that there was nothing she could do to suppress the growing feelings she suddenly felt for him. She took a deep breath and released it slowly. "I don't know."

Connie's eyebrows rose as her suspicion was confirmed. "You have feelings for Adam." She took a moment before answering and Connie could see the conflicting emotions play over her expressive face. "What about Scooter?"

Her voice broke Julie out of her brief trance as she looked up at her quickly, frowning. Silence fell upon them once again as one corner of her mouth quirked up into a sad smile. "He's not Adam."

* * *

**A/N: **Thanks for reading. Don't forget to leave a review and let me know what you think! Just a few more chapters left to the story.


	6. Torn in Two

**A/N**: Many thanks to those who last reviewed (_IllusionsOfBliss_, _Guest_, _CloudyGumdrops_, _Anonymous_, and _hollywar_). You guys are the best! It means alot to see you take the time to read the story and send in your reviews! I apologize for taking awhile to get the latest chapter up. I've been busy with work, but I finally got a few days off to get some writing done. Without further ado, enjoy!

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**Chapter 5**

"So who is she?"

The quiet voice from behind made him jump, a curse slipping from his lips as he spun around to see his older brother standing a few feet away, eyes watching him with a smile. He hadn't heard him enter the dining room, which says a good deal about his current state of mind. He was too preoccupied by thoughts of _her_ as the events of the past hour or so caught up to him.

"She?" He blinked at him stupidly as his older brother, Austin rolled his eyes at him. There was one thought rising above all else,_ 'How the hell did he know?' _

"The girl that got you upset." He inquired as his lips quirked up into a smile. "I saw the flowers in the trash." The younger brother frowned and didn't say anything as he swallowed the lump of moisture in his throat and sighed heavily. "Adam?"

"Shouldn't you be on the plane to Boston right about now?" He shot back in annoyance as his blond hair fell raggedly across his sharp blue eyes. His older brother just smiled at him.

"My flight isn't till later tonight." Austin replied casually. "But it's nice to know you'll miss me too, lil bro." He added with sarcasm, waiting as Adam ran a hand across his face in frustration. "So? What happened?"

Adam can feel himself on edge as he debated in his mind how he was going to bring up the matter that had been weighing down on him for the past two weeks. "I took a cab to the airport." He started off quietly and reluctantly, breaking the barrier of silence between them. "She was coming back from Maine and I thought I'd surprise her."

"Wow." A proud smirk fell upon his male companion's face as he leaned against the kitchen counter with arms folded across his chest. "You're finally showing interest in the opposite sex. Well, it's about damn time." Adam rolled his eyes at the lighthearted remark as his brother continued on, smiling. "I didn't think you had it in you."

Adam shrugged absently, trying to mask the influx of emotions that came flooding to him all at once. "Yea...well it doesn't matter anyway." He paused for a few seconds, replaying the moment over and over again in his head like a tape recorder on repeat. It was stupid, but he couldn't help the faint twinge that accompanied the thought. He recognized the feeling for what it is and felt ashamed. He was _jealous_ and the feeling was there nonetheless as he turned to his brother who gave him a bewildered look. "Someone else beat me to it." Adam murmured dejectedly, unsure if he can keep the mask up for much longer as he looked up at Austin and saw the pity in his eyes. He was convinced that some of how he was feeling must be showing on his face.

"So what are you going to do about it?" He asked curiously causing Adam to quirk a brow at the suddenness of the question.

"I'm not going to do anything about it. She has feelings for the guy for quite some time now. It was going to happen sooner or later." There was hint of bitterness in his tone, but it was tempered by sadness as he added, "I was just stupid enough to think otherwise."

"Does she even know how you feel about her?"

Adam stared at him blankly and frowned. "Well...no."

"And why not?" He scoffed, shaking his head and chuckling in disbelief. "Wouldn't you want to know where she stands so you can save yourself the pain and agony from thinking about it?"

Adam heaved a sigh. "From what I saw, it's obvious where she stands."

"Things could be different if she knows how you feel about her." He added gently. "If there was one thing I learned in college, it's that...you can't be afraid to take chances. Not just in hockey, but in life. You just never know of the opportunities that come your way." Austin gave him a reassuring nod as he tapped him lightly on the shoulder. "Besides, you're a Banks. We don't back out from a challenge."

Adam forced a smile. "I just don't want to come in between the two of them." He spoke quietly, a hint of hopelessness in his voice as Austin nodded his understanding.

"Just tell her how you feel."

* * *

As Julie stood in the long bustling terminal, she could sense the excitement of passengers either waiting to be flown to their destination or meeting their loved ones to be picked up and return to their homes. She had just landed in Minnesota after staying with her family back home in Maine for the past two weeks. Her vacation hadn't been the peaceful, fun relaxing time she had been hoping for. Sure, she was able to spend time with family and hang out with her old hockey team, which brought back many great memories from playing their first game together to winning three consecutive state championships. If anything, the majority of her time off was troublesome because for once in her life, she actually had more time to sit around and think about Adam.

_"Promise me one thing?" He slowly approached her, finding the courage to speak first as his intense blue eyes stared longingly in her emerald ones. They stood just a few feet away from security check as the announcement of her flight to Maine sounded in the telecom. He was the last one to say his goodbye as the others scattered around them, either watching idly or tapering off on their own to say their goodbyes to Portman, Luis, Russ, Ken, and Dwayne who were all leaving that morning to return to their home state._

_"What's that?" She uttered as she felt her stomach pulsating, finding it harder to leave as her departure time grew closer. It didn't help that her best friend Connie was in the verge of tears._

_"Work on your low stick side." He replied, keeping her gaze. _

_She shot an eyebrow at him in response, not at all surprised that his request was anything, but hockey related. "You're seriously giving me hockey tips now, Cake eater?" She choked in mock disbelief._

_He laughed as the soothing sound made her insides clenched. "You'll be unstoppable, Cat lady."_

_"And I'm currently not?" She scoffed in her defensive tone mixed in with hint of playfulness. _

_He shrugged and waved his hand in dismissal. "Not against me anyway." He teased causing Julie to roll her eyes at him. _

_"Don't get so cocky now, Banks. I've stopped a few of your shots." _

_"Yes, but only a few. And you still need work on your stick side." He echoed, slightly amused by the frustration shown on her face. _

_There was a pause between them as the tension that has been slowly building throughout their conversation grew heavy and thick. She kept her expression neutral and her mouth firmly closed, her stance unmoving. _

_"I'm going to miss you." He blurted out before he could stop himself, mentally kicking himself for being sentimental, especially in front of the team as he could feel their curious eyes burning into their heads. _

_She held his soft gaze as a genuine smile worked its way up to her face. "I'll miss you too." _

_He nodded, and with one swift motion, roped his arm around her and pulled her closer against him. She shut her eyes to relish in the comfort of his warm embrace. _

She shook her head to clear the memory and return to the present. Part of her was intrigued by the idea. Not only was Adam extremely good looking, but he was also sweet, sensitive, and caring. She knew he respected her not only as a person, but as a hockey player. He was always quiet and mysterious that if she had to be completely honest with herself, she'd have to admit she enjoyed hearing his thoughts and opinions on anything they were discussing. With the exception of Charlie, Adam was slowly opening up to her in such a way she had never seen him do before with the others.

Then there was their friendship to consider. Was it worth risking that to pursue something that probably wouldn't work out? Does he even have the time to invest in making a relationship work on top of hockey and school? He showed no interest in dating, what made her think he would make the time for her? What would it do to their professional relationship on the ice? Would they be able to work together as a team or would they go out of their way to avoid each other?

The thought was tempting, so compelling. She would lay in bed at night, helplessly staring up at her ceiling as fantasies and daydreams of a relationship with him danced merrily through her mind for hours on end. The only thing that stopped her from declaring her feelings for him was one, rejection. Would she be able to handle the heart break and move on? And two, fear. Fear that she'd be making the biggest mistake of her life.

"Julie?" A voice invaded her musings as she looked up at the familiar face she never thought she would see upon her arrival.

"Scooter?" Her tone hovered between disbelief and apprehension. She hadn't heard from him since she left for Maine and she couldn't understand why he was there now. "W-what are you doing here? Where's Connie?" She asked, completely at a loss for words as she whipped her head around for signs of her best friend.

"I told her that I would come get you since I was unable to drop you off at the airport last time." He smiled, allowing his fingers to graze gently against hers as he grabbed the suitcase from her hand. "I hope you don't mind."

She shook her head and felt her heart race at the contact. "No, not at all. I'm just...surprised to see you."

There was a moment of silence as she could read the sadness in his eyes. "You don't seem excited to see me."

"I am." Her reply was instant, suddenly unable to find her voice as she offered him a reassuring smile. "I wasn't expecting you at all. I mean...we haven't really talked..."

He looked down with the regret burning in his eyes. "I know, and I'm sorry for that. I've been really busy with college apps and studying for the SATs." He clarified firmly, taking her other hand in his as their fingers intertwined. Julie glanced down to their clasped hands and she couldn't help the nervous flutter in her stomach. "But now I want to focus on us."

She swallowed thickly but faced him, unsure of what to say or do. Her lips parted but no words came to her so she took a deep breath instead.

"Julie, I've been doing a lot of thinking over the break and I want to try and make this work."

Her eyebrows flew upward, painfully aware of how close her body was to him as their eyes met in an intense stare. "Scooter..."

"I know it's not an ideal situation. I get that. You're a freshman and I'm a senior going off to college. But I don't want to think about the future or what will happen a few months from now." He trailed off nervously as he could feel her breath slightly hitched. "I would like for something more to happen between us." He whispered and saw the look of disbelief residing in her emerald gaze. "But if you don't feel the same way then I understand and I promise I'll back off."

She couldn't believe what was happening. Who would have thought one of the most popular boys in school would be declaring his feelings to a lowly freshman. She knew he was attracted to her just as she was attracted to him, but she never thought in a million years he would want a relationship out of it. All the signs led her to believe the opposite. "I..." Julie dragged in a deep breath and closed her mouth. She couldn't give him a firm answer because she didn't know if she felt anything more than friendship towards him. The more she thought about Adam, the less she thought of him. She didn't want to lie to him since they were friends after all. But knowing Scooter's close ties with the varsity team, she wanted to do whatever it takes to keep Adam out of it. To protect him. "I'm not sure."

Scooter pursed his lips for a moment as he caressed her hand, idly drawing small circles with his thumb. "You're not sure whether or not you have feelings for me?"

"I've been agonizing over this since the JV-Varsity game." She admitted hopelessly. "And the truth is, I do have feelings for you, Scooter. I just...need more time."

"Yeah, no problem. Take all the time you need." He smiled without hesitation as he finally let go of her hand and placed his arm around her shoulder instead, a gesture that made her stomach churn anxiously. "Come on, let me drive you back to the dorms."

She forced a smile, allowing him to take the lead as they walked pass the baggage claim area and towards the parking garage. She glanced up at him as the hopes and uncertainty came rushing through her head. She had the guy who she's been crushing on since the JV-Varsity game suddenly pinning for her. And now in his arms, she couldn't explain how she felt about him. She might have been happy with him. Afterall, they were both highly skilled hockey players, playing for the same position and for the same school. He played for varsity; she played for the JV team. He was a jock, she was a cheerleader. Anyone could see they were the perfect match. They had a connection that's for sure. But for some reason that connection wasn't what she imagined it to be. It wasn't enough. But there was another connection, a connection she'd built very recently that did feel like enough. All signs may be pointing towards Scooter, but when she thought about her feelings for him and then her feelings for Adam, the difference was drastic. At first she hadn't known what it was. It wasn't just gratitude for Adam keeping his silence on everything they talked about or the awkward moments they shared and would joke about later. Nor was it just the way he made her feel beautiful inside and out whenever he looked at her and almost kissed her. No, it was something more. It was a combination of all things, and now she knew what it was. She was falling in love with Adam Banks.

* * *

**A/N:** To be continued. What do you guys think? Don't forget to leave a review! They are much appreciated. Thanks!


	7. Truth and Lies

**A/N: **Hello again to all my fellow readers! Many thanks to those who last reviewed (_God'sgirlforever_, _IllusionsOfBliss_, and _Anonymous_), and those who started following. I'm glad you're enjoying the story so far! This chapter is a bit shorter than my previous ones, but important nonetheless. Hope you guys like it!

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**Chapter 6**

He skated aimlessly on the pond, leaving a trail of snow behind as his skates grazed against the frozen water. The wind was biting at his cheeks and nipping the tips of his ears causing him to slightly shiver despite the scarf and thick jacket he wore against the fierce cold. He skated quietly, letting his mind drift, concentrating on nothing but his surroundings as he increased his speed on the ice, allowing the gust of wind to brush gently against his flushed skin. Everything seemed quieter, almost muffled...adding to the eeriness and serenity in the atmosphere. He enjoyed the few moments of peace and solitude as it gave him pause to think in the one place he felt most at home. He couldn't find himself being alone anywhere else, but on the ice.

Then there were the sounds of shrieks and laughter which echoed in the chilly air, pulling him from his deep thoughts. He stopped abruptly on his skates and spun around as he watched his teammates step foot on the ice. He parted his lips slightly, noticing there were more of them now than they were for the past few weeks. Then it dawned on him that the others have returned from winter break as his eyes eventually found Julie.

He took her in, the light of the day still lingering and the sun adding a slight glow to her wavy blond hair. She wore a long grey coat over warm black leggings with a red knitted scarf and beanie to match. As he looked at her, his heart fluttered beneath his chest. She was beautiful and there was nothing he could do to stop the familiar pang in his heart as the image of Scooter and Julie continue to cloud his mind.

"Hey, Adam..." She greeted shyly, breaking him away from his thoughts of her and back to the reality of standing before her. He was far gone in his own little world, he hadn't notice Julie skating towards him.

"Hey..." He weakly smiled in response, a knot tightening in the pit of his stomach as she looked at him. "Welcome back."

"Thanks." Julie's eyes were trained ahead of her, refusing to glance over at him for fear everything would spill out of her mouth in a rush. He could see the discomfort playing across her features as they stood in silence for a few seconds. "Skate with me?" She suddenly asked with hint of nervousness in her tone as her gaze slowly traveled up to meet his. She wanted to be alone with him as he swallowed thickly, his heart caught in his chest and beating what felt like two hundred beats a minute. Unable to find his voice, he nodded and naturally fell into step with her, distancing themselves from the others. The rest of the team didn't seem to notice as Dwayne began their traditional fun of chasing and roping his teammates on the ice.

"So..." She began slowly, breaking the companionable silence that's becoming strangely familiar between them as she looked up at him cautiously and felt her heart contract. She didn't realize how much she missed him until the moment their eyes met. "How was your break?"

"It was good." He replied with a lazy shrug, relieved their conversation started onto safer topics...for now. "I trained for a bit and hung out with my brother and the rest of the ducks." He turned to her and saw the distracted look upon her face as though something else entirely was bothering her. He knew she had been thinking about anything other than winter break. "What about you?"

Julie nodded absently, offering a faint smile in return. "Yea, I uh...spent time with family and my old hockey team." She replied, unable to disguise the discomfort in her voice as she shook her head in attempt to will it away, but to no avail. "Other than that, I didn't do very much." She looked away from him and drew in a deep breath, sorting all of the words out in her mind, ready to spill it all out on the table to him and hope for the best. He regarded her carefully and saw there was something nagging in the back of her mind she couldn't escape.

"Julie..." His voice was tinged with worry as it ripped her out of her reverie. She quickly glanced up at him, startled as the panic squeezed at her chest. She held her breath and saw the look of concern residing in his fierce blue eyes. There was no going back now as he brought his arm out to put a stop to her. "What's wrong?"

They stopped at the very end of the pond, a mile away from where the others were. She then turned around on her skates to face him, her lips slightly parting. "Scooter wants to be with me." Her words came out in a jumbled rush. She shut her eyes, mentally berating herself for sounding like a yammering fool. She was silent for a few moments and he just took her in the sound of her nervous breathing. He gazed at her, letting his eyes fall right in line to hers.

"Oh." He breathed as her quiet words fell into the stillness of the clearing. He felt numb, hurt and the bitterness wash over him. He wanted to run away and be as far from there—as far from her—as possible. Far away from the truth. "I don't see how that's an issue." His voice was steady, far steadier than he expected it to be. He managed to compose himself despite feeling the cracks of his mask widening. But inside, he was far from calm with the adrenaline pumping, heart thudding loudly in his chest. He couldn't help feeling jealous, let alone stand before the one person he'd give his heart to. But it was obvious to him she didn't...or couldn't allow herself to feel the same way. Why else would she tell him? Scooter was who she wanted to be with, and to Adam, she wanted to make that realization loud and clear. "I thought you like him."

"I do..." Julie lowered her gaze and sighed heavily, glancing away from him for a brief moment. He couldn't help but notice the uncertainty in her tone, but didn't think much of it as his silence prompted her to continue on. "But I-" she broke off, suddenly unable to respond verbally because her voice have been robbed from her throat as she tentatively looked down at her feet to avoid eye contact.

"Julie..." he started off again, his voice flat and small. She gave him a long glance, eyes searching his face as if trying to read something in his expression. But he had his mask on again, and he was determined she would not find anything. "You sure this is something you want to tell me?" He asked carefully, his words erasing the warm sensations he truly felt about her and instead, allowing the cold, harsh light of reality to shine through. "Isn't this a subject matter that you should be discussing with Connie?"

She flinched visibly as he grimaced at the hurt expression that crossed her face. "After everything we've been through," she paused in mid-sentence, hesitating for the briefest of moments and choosing her words carefully. And when she continued, there was a part of him that knows she isn't saying what she was originally going to say. "I guess I just want to know where we stand." She muttered, her voice dropping to a whisper. "Where _you_ stand."

He blinked rapidly, taken aback by the acknowledgement that she still thought about that moment. It never left his mind, and he too wondered if the reason for it was because she felt the same way for him as he does for her. He could hear his brother's voice of reason echo in the back of his head, whispering words to lay it all out on the line and hold nothing back.

_"What makes this girl so special?" Adam gave a blank stare as a grin tugged at the corners of Austin's lips. "I mean, she's the first girl you've taken interest in. What makes her special among the others?" _

_He couldn't help the smile that slipped onto his face as he felt his cheeks flush, forcing him to look away from his brother. He was watching him with a half-smile that is somehow expectant. _

_"You know, I could sit here and list all the many great things I like about her. She's smart, kind, beautiful, tough and talented..." Adam trailed off, shooting his brother a quick look. "Any girl can possess all those qualities, yes. But with Julie...she doesn't have to try so hard with me. We have this...connection, this understanding with one another. I can easily talk to her, and not feel so terrified." He said, looking down with a sigh before adding on. "I'm so drawn to her, it scares me." _

_"She sounds like someone worth fighting for, bro."_

_Adam snorted at the thought. "If only it were that easy." _

_"It never is." His older brother reminded him, followed by a light chuckle. "So when you tell her how you feel, don't hold anything back. Take a leap of faith. I'm sure whatever happens, things will eventually work out in the end." _

But the memory of Julie and Scooter together in the airport re-emerged in his head, pushing any of those thoughts aside as he felt his heart sink at the bottom of his stomach. He opened his mouth to speak the truth, to no longer deny his feelings for her. But the lies fell out instead, ignoring the voice in his head that tried to tell him otherwise. If he accepted the impossible, that their star goalie, in some small way, liked him back, then he is opening to himself to the chance of being hurt and of hurting others. Then there is another thing to consider. Scooter, and her feelings towards him. He couldn't risk that. He couldn't get in between them and add on to the confusion. He couldn't allow himself to feel exposed and vulnerable. So he did what he could to spare him the pain, to spare her the agony and end the confusion. He lied.

"We're friends, Julie. Nothing more." He clarified firmly, masking the twinge of regret he felt once he detected what seemed like a flash of disappointment on her face. But he kept it together; the dull numbness seeping through him as he began rebuilding the barriers, pushing all those old thoughts and feelings back behind fresh walls. All he could do is stand before her, and allow her to believe what they shared meant nothing to him. "Like you said, we got caught up in the moment. It didn't mean anything."

The tension in the air was thick, almost suffocating. Adam could feel Julie's gaze against his flushed skin and it was an unnerving sensation. He knew she was thinking as she kept her expression neutral and her emerald eyes locked on to him.

"Okay," was all she managed to say. She was not prepared for how much this realization hurts, the realization of just how much what happened between them meant to her, and now he was withdrawing from it. "That's all I need to know." She forced a smile as he could recognize the unmistakable pain in her voice. She turned to leave, putting the much needed distance between them as she shut her eyes, allowing the tears to fall freely down her face.

* * *

**A/N:** And we are almost at the end. Don't forget to leave a review and tell me what you think? I'd appreciate it. Thanks! =)


	8. Broken Walls

**A/N: **Hey, guys! I'm back. Nice to see new reviewers and followers, so thank you for taking the time to read and review. Shout out to those who last reviewed:_ God'sgirlforever, Anonymous, IllusionsOfBliss, Zeina, amy2272, Kareena_. It means a lot! Again, I apologize for taking this long to update. Work has been kicking my ass lately, but wait no more! I hope you enjoy the latest chapter. Hehe...

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**Chapter 7**

"Julie, the Cat!" Came the loud, intimidating voice of Coach Orion forcing his team of ducks to stop in the middle of scrimmage and glance over their shoulders, alarmed as the atmosphere in the arena grew intense. All eyes turn warily to their star goalie as she kept her expression neutral and gaze locked onto their coach, who appeared more confused than angry. Charlie's shot had been almost lazy, she should have no difficulty blocking it, but she missed the puck by a long mile, barely extending her leg in time to block the goal. "Where's your concentration today huh?!" Coach Orion started again, his stern voice sending chills down their spines. Despite being with him for one whole season, his intimidating nature never seem to go away. "Come on! Winter break is over."

Julie cringed at his harsh words as she took off her mask in mere frustration and placed it on top of the net. She removed one glove to take a swig of water from the water bottle, momentarily distracting herself from the others as she turned her back towards them and could feel their gazes burning into her head. She shut her eyes and breathed in a heavy sigh, wishing for the first time since she transferred to Eden Hall that she was back home in Maine—away from the humiliation. Away from the heartache.

The scrimmage couldn't end soon enough as their coach commanded the rest of the team to line up in front of the net for shootout drills. She dreaded the curious stares and could hear them offering their words of support, but she wasn't ready for that. She was embarrassed, and more so disappointed in herself for not playing to the best of her ability as she normally would in any given day. But her mind was clearly not in practice as thoughts other than hockey evaded her concentration.

_"We're friends, Julie. Nothing more. It didn't mean anything." _

Her heart constricted painfully at the memory, his words sinking deep into her head. No matter how hard she tried to bottle up the lingering feelings, they were always there, lurking just under the surface. It was amazing to her how things could change so quickly over a matter of days...and weeks even.

"Hey. What is up with Julie?" Charlie whispered to Connie, masking the same concern look on her face as she stood in front of him with the other ducks filing behind to take turns making their shots. They glanced over at Julie, putting her face mask and glove back on as she reluctantly re-positioned herself between the posts.

"I have no idea." Connie replied with a half shrug, refusing to meet Charlie's intent gaze as he could tell from her wary tone and rigid posture that she was lying, but he didn't press the subject further. She then threw a quick look at Adam, one that did not go unnoticed as Charlie gave her a knowing nod.

Adam overheard their brief exchange, trying to analyze the situation. He couldn't help but feel responsible for Julie's current state of mind. The last time they've spoken was on the frozen pond two days ago and Adam had the uneasy feeling that perhaps they didn't leave things on a good note as he initially thought. Sure, he lied about his feelings for her and purposely left out information of ever being at the airport to surprise her. But he couldn't do it. Not when the image and knowledge of the mutual attraction shared between Scooter and Julie pushed itself forward and clouded his mind. Then there was a part of him that feels Julie wasn't exactly being truthful either; a dangerous hope in his chest that maybe what she feels for him goes beyond friendship too.

He shook his head at the idea, erasing any thoughts about there being something between them. Whether Julie's feelings towards him did or didn't go beyond friendship was irrelevant now.

The side conversation soon trailed off to other topics, forcing Adam to drown out their words and focus on Julie instead. He noted her reflexes were inaccurate and timing was off, barely stopping a few pucks that came flying her way.

Guy was up next as he started from behind the blue line, his skates grazing against the ice as he went. He absently took a shot and Julie reached with her glove but missed by inches as the puck sailed right into the net. "Damn it!" A frustrated groan slipped from her lips as she got up from the ice, hitting both posts with the stick before re-positioning herself in the center once more. It was now Adam's turn and he decided then to go easy on her despite the high expectations that were riding on him. But he didn't care. All he wanted was to play and he couldn't bear to see the frustration on her face, let alone have Coach Orion yelling at her. He knew this was an off day for Julie and he would do whatever it takes to lift some of that burden off her shoulders, even if it meant playing poorly in front of the team.

With steady control of the puck, he skated gracefully towards the net with his eyes locked on Julie. When he looked at her, he saw the look of sadness and fear written all over her delicate features; one that caught him off guard completely. It was so unlike her, looking so defeated and lost...it nearly broke him.

He then took aim on her stick side and watched the puck ricochet away from the net just as he predicted. "Good save, Julie." Adam heard Connie cheered on nearby as he lowered his head and idly skated towards the others, unaware of the glare Julie suddenly threw at him.

"Uh oh." Adam heard Charlie mumbled from behind as the sound of hockey gear came crashing down on the ice, a loud thud resonating throughout the arena; catching everyone's attention. He looked over his shoulder and saw it was Julie who intentionally dropped her hockey stick and mask with renewed anger residing in her emerald eyes.

"What the hell was that?!" She exclaimed furiously, skating over to Adam as the arena grew uncomfortably silent. Blinking, Adam couldn't think of anything to say as he stared at her in bewilderment, dumbfounded by her angered tone. This was not the reaction he had expected or hoped for.

"Huh?" He mentally kicked himself for sounding so stupid. But her sudden outrage threw him off, leaving him utterly speechless.

"Oh come on, Banks! I played with you long enough to know you missed that shot on purpose." She sputtered out in annoyance causing the others to exchange worried looks. "You didn't even try!"

He swallowed thickly and felt the knot of tension in his stomach. "I was only trying to help..." He replied softly, trying to cover up the nervous quiver in his voice but failed miserably. It baffled him to see her so angry, and to be the cause of that anger made the feeling a thousand times worse.

"I don't need your help, Adam!" She shot back coldly, shaking her head forcefully and causing her long braid to whip around behind her. "I don't need you or anyone else to half-ass your game for my sake." Julie addressed the rest of the team, glancing over at them with a serious expression. "I can handle it!" She then turned back to Adam as their eyes met in an intense stare. He slightly parted his lips to speak, only to be interrupted by the sound of a whistle before he could say anything.

"Alright, cut it out!" Coach Orion left his place by the box and skated towards them, furrowing his eyebrows between Julie and Adam. "Whatever teenage drama you have going on with your lives stays off the ice." He spoke firmly before turning to the rest of the team. "You got that?!" The others exchanged looks before nodding their heads in agreement.

"Yes, coach…" They murmured in unison.

"Alright, 20 laps and then hit the showers."

Adam shifted his gaze over to Julie whose eyes began to moisten underneath the arena lights. She shook her head, trying to hold back the tears that threatened to appear as she hastily turned around and skated off to join the others.

* * *

She stayed to herself all day, lost in thought and battling confusion. She found herself hiding in the dorm rooms in between classes and during lunch period, refusing to be seen by anyone. Since her return to Minnesota, she had been going out of her way to avoid her friends, making excuses to get out of whatever mindless adventure they have planned. Not that she didn't want to be a part of it. But she needed more time to herself to think and sort out mixed feelings she wouldn't be able to mask in front of her friends. She wanted to avoid answering questions she knew would inevitably come out, and she certainly wasn't ready for that.

And then there was the disastrous practice she wanted to forget altogether. The awkward return to the locker rooms and the uneasy tension growing by the second was an unnerving sensation. Once showered and dressed, she remembered heading out the door, ignoring the curious stares from her teammates, on a mission knowing exactly what she needed at the time. Having _his_ presence there, in the same room didn't help her cause. Although having him around was surely unavoidable, she hoped that with time...and space, feelings would soon fade away. She only hoped by escaping to be left alone, she could avoid all the awkwardness that moment was sure to bring.

She was off to her own world when a sudden knock on the door broke through her musings, a constant reminder that she couldn't hide out any longer no matter how hard she tried. A distant sigh escaped from her lips as she looked up from the chemistry book she had been staring blankly at for the past half hour and frowned. She was in no mood to see anyone, but seeing that the person behind the door was persistent, knocking relentlessly to no end...Julie was given no other choice but to answer it.

And as she opened the door, she took in a sharp breath and froze before him. So much for being alone and putting him out of her mind as she met eyes with the one person she tried to avoid most.

"Adam..."

The eyes had a way of telling much more than words ever could. That was what he could pick up from her as she stood, nervous and thoughtful before him. She had so much hidden behind those emerald eyes and the longer he stood without speaking, the more he wanted to know what has kept her away from the others...and from him.

"I was on my way out." She started to move, to walk around his left side, but he found himself bringing his arm out and put a stop to her.

"We need to talk."

She parted her lips in disbelief, fully aware of how serious he appeared before her. He was no longer the shy, quiet boy who kept to himself. Instead, there was hint of determination in his gaze as he looked at her, demanding for answers she couldn't bring herself to provide him. Little did he know that being in his presence was the entire problem to begin with. Did he not realize that just being around him was causing her mind to go rampant and her heart to race in unprecedented speed? She was finding it hard to breathe, her forehead breaking out in a cold sweat. Even her palms were getting sweaty.

"I know you're upset about yesterday, but I was only trying to help." His words came out in a jumbled rush as the vulnerability in him began to show clearly. "I didn't think it was a big deal."

She snorted at the thought. "Yeah, well maybe you should stop helping me and caring so damn much because it sends the wrong message, Banks." He flinched visibly at the response, taken aback by her bitter tone as she saw the hurt expression crossed his face. She looked away, mentally berating herself for not getting a handle of her emotions as she found herself slowly slipping from her control.

"Would you rather have me not care about you at all?" He quirked a brow at her in disbelief, completely puzzled by where the conversation was going.

It was easier to remain angry with him than to admit that she was falling for him. Because part of her was afraid of what he'd say. So it was easier to just bury everything deep inside of her and pretend like nothing had happened between them. That he was nothing more than just a friend...teammate.

She averted from his worried gaze, pushing shaky hands through her blond hair and released a breath. "I can't do this right now, Adam. I'm sorry." She said, her voice cracking and very low, the pain of just being with him now coming to the surface. She again tried to make her way past him, refusing to give him any sort of look to let him know what she was dealing with inside of herself. He reached out for her arm then and she found herself allowing him to pull her, the warmth of his touch causing her body to react in ways it hadn't since they last stood this close. With his piercing blue eyes locked on Julie's, he observed the pinkish hue of her cheeks and the perfect shape of her lips. He took a step closer and felt her breath slightly hitched. She wasn't sure her heart had ever pounded so fast in her life as she lost control of her emotions.

"Julie..." He breathed.

And without thought, she placed her hands on either side of his face and gently brought her lips to meet his.

It was so unexpected, so quick that Adam found himself unable to move; too stunned by the feel of her warm lips against his to even kiss back. Julie pulled back then, her eyes glazed with desire, as he saw for the first time that she wanted this as much as he does. He smiled and immediately closed the gap between them once again as the warmth of his mouth sent a current running through her body. He kissed her again and again, each kiss more intense than the last. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her against him; his heart racing wildly as she snaked her arms around his neck, deepening the kiss some more.

"Julie?"

Time was seemingly lost between them until they heard a pained, familiar voice broke through the silence, causing them to retreat from each other's heated embrace.

They both turned at the same time, their eyes stricken with disbelief and regret. She felt her heart sink to the bottom of her stomach, realizing what she had done as the look of absolute shock and pain fell upon his strong male features.

She held her breath then and swallowed thickly, unable to move or utter a single word as Scooter stood before them.

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**A/N:** To be continued...Don't forget to leave a review? Pretty please? =) Thanks for reading!


	9. Confessions and Heartbreaks

**A/N: **Hello to my fellow readers and thanks for your patience! I apologize for the late update. Again, I've been really busy with work and doing my best to find the time to get this done. Just 2-3 more chapters left to the story, so bear with me. Anyway, shout out to those who last reviewed:_geea2_, _CloudyGumdrops_, _God'sgirlforever_, _hollywar_, _gottoluvme11_, _Kareena_, _amy2272_, _Anonymous_, _IllusionsOfBliss_, and _thelastolympian3. _Thanks for the kind words! And thanks to those who are following the story. Keeps me motivated and I appreciate it very much. Without further ado, I hope you enjoy the latest chapter.

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**Chapter 8**

Her eyes were darker than he had ever seen them. They were burning just as his own. Her breathing was ragged, her chest moving up and down rapidly from their heated encounter. But as soon as Scooter stood before them, unexpected...her breath caught in her throat, leaving her breathless.

"Um...Adam," The prolong tension between them was unbearable as she finally broke the agonizing silence that lingered for quite some time. "Can you give us a minute?" Her voice trembled and there was panic in her gaze as they shifted cautiously from Adam to Scooter and then back at Adam. She saw what appeared like a flash of disappointment and concern that crossed Adam's face, his soft gaze shifting idly from Scooter and then back at her. He looked at her, looked at the colors passing by as he fell into a trance with her and forgot for a moment the discomfort and longing that was building up in his chest. He wanted her; to pull her back in his embrace and hold her. But he couldn't help feel she was slowly slipping away from him and towards the one person who stood between them.

He glanced over at Scooter then as they made eye contact, disbelief clear in his expression. To Adam's surprise he didn't seem angry, but could easily recognize the jealousy and hurt behind his gaze, a feeling he knew all too well as the memories of Scooter and Julie at the airport, around school together...and the kiss following the JV-Varsity game flashed before his eyes. With the guilt and shame seeping through his veins, he turned away, masking the inexplicable awkwardness he felt in his presence. He wanted to hate him. It would have made the situation much easier. But Scooter gave him no reason to, showing time and time again that he was nothing like the rest of the varsity team. Adam respected him, which makes the feeling far worse than he could ever imagine as he felt a rush of self-hatred take hold of him.

He switched his attention over to Julie and she offered him a reassuring nod, taking it as his cue to leave. With his head hung low, he reluctantly walked down the long empty hallway and disappeared around the corner, leaving the other two behind.

The general atmosphere was one of misery as Julie and Scooter stood in awkward silence for several moments, neither really have anything to say as they both struggled with their thoughts and the things that needed to be said. Inside she was far from calm with the adrenaline pumping, heart hammering loudly in her chest and a roaring in her ears. It was like she was fighting an internal battle she could not win.

She gathered every ounce of courage, swallowing her fear of what's to come as she parted her lips to speak.

"I'm so sorry…" she conceded weakly, dragging in a nervous breath as she released it slowly. He studied her carefully, feeling exposed and awkward beneath his serious gaze. He looked at her, sharp at first with the betrayal still fresh in his mind. But the longer he stared at her, the less hurt he felt as his gaze gradually softened.

"So you and Adam." The realization didn't come as a surprise to him as the disappointment welled up inside him and caused a stab of pain to shoot through his heart. "Can't say I'm surprised," he frowned with hint of bitterness laced in his wavering voice as Julie shot him a look.

"W-what?" She stammered nervously, furrowing her eyebrows in bewilderment.

He gave a deep sigh, trying in vain to push away the negative thoughts and feelings that were consuming every part of him. "I saw him at the airport." He admitted helplessly, brushing his dark hair with the tips of his fingers in mere frustration. "It was the same day I picked you up." She said nothing as her lips parted in disbelief. She could feel her heart sink a little at the acknowledgement. If Adam was there, that only meant he saw them together in such a way that was so unexpected. She shut her eyes then, realizing the pain and heartache Adam may have endured if what he felt for her goes beyond friendship too. "I wasn't sure why he was there, but seeing you two together just now…" Scooter paused in mid sentence as his voice dropped to a sad whisper. "It makes perfect sense."

Julie lowered her gaze, hating the pained expression on his face. She was lost in thought, trying to process all that she had found out. She could hear him shift uncomfortably on his feet, bracing herself for the worse as she took a deep breath to steady her nerves. "I never wanted…wanted for any of this to happen." Julie said quietly, followed by a brief pause. "I was so conflicted...s-so scared. I-I didn't want to hurt either of you." She broke off with a shake of her head, suddenly unable to find her voice. She slowly looked back at him and read the sadness in his eyes, letting her know how much her words affected him. "I'm so sorry, Scooter. I should have told you the truth."

As he stood before her with a perplexed and hurt expression on his features, he knew his destiny was clear. He was not the one she needed and he was sure that he would never be. She needed someone who would be there for her; to share the next four years of high school with; something he would not be able to provide her while away in college.

Despite how disappointed he was, he did what he knew was the right thing to do. He stared into her emerald eyes for a long moment and gently grabbed her hand, softly caressing her knuckles with this thumb as if relishing the moment with her for the last time. "I forgive you, Julie." He squeezed her hand one more time, offering her the faintest of smiles before walking away and leaving her standing alone with her thoughts.

She blinked, shocked that he'd just walk away and leave things alone so easily without much of a fight. Although she was relieved that Scooter was more than forgiving, Julie couldn't help but feel she didn't deserve his forgiveness; not after everything she put him through.

She thought about the damage and hurt she had caused as the realization swept over her face.

Paralyzed by the tragic feeling of hurting them both, she closed her eyes and gazed into fields of nothingness, allowing the tears to fall carelessly from her eyes.

* * *

The chilly air swept around him, causing his fingers to numb and body to slightly tremble; a feeling he grew so accustomed to growing up in Minnesota his entire life. He squinted as another bright ray of sunlight seeped through the clouds, cheerful, despite the somber environment in its wake.

Adam sat in silence on the bleachers, staring fixedly at the snow covered football field in deep contemplation. His turbulent feelings began to cause conflict within him again as wandering thoughts returned to the kiss he shared with Julie. He could still feel her pressed against him, their hearts racing wildly with his lips tasting her sweetness.

His eyes slid shut and he brought his fingers to the bridge of his nose, desperately trying to push unwelcome thoughts of Julie and Scooter back into the darkest parts in his mind and replacing them with the memory of their kiss. But he couldn't. No matter how much that kiss revealed to him, there was Scooter who will always be connected to Julie. The thought alone was too strong, too stubborn to simply disappear like he wanted it to.

Propping both elbows on his thighs, Adam absently rubbed his temples in slow circles, allowing the memories to consume him. He let out a rough breath he didn't realize he had been holding, shutting everything down as his mind went blank as though nothing else in the world seemed to exist.

"Hey." A hand touched his shoulder from behind and he cursed, jerking away from the unexpected contact. "Whoa, it's just me."

Adam's face fell slightly as he saw it was his best friend Charlie and not Julie standing before him. Relief crossed his face then, realizing he wouldn't know what to say or do if she was there at the moment. He forced a smile and watched as Charlie took a seat beside him in silence, finding comfort in his presence.

"So…" Charlie started off carefully, being mindful of the delicate situation that has kept his best friend occupied. "You still not hung up on what happened at practice are you? I'm sure she'll get over it."

Adam released a heavy breath, unsure of how to lay it out on him. He needed someone to talk to; someone who could help him deal with the feelings that were drowning him, suffocating him. Feelings he fought long and hard to bury.

"I went to see Julie and we kissed." The words escaped him in a jumbled rush as Charlie shot him a look. He was unsure if he was more surprised by the news or Adam finally opening up to him on the subject. Either way, he was thrilled for him.

"Oh thank goodness, you're finally admitting it." A playful grin crossed Charlie's features as he nudged on Adam's shoulder with a knowing look. He was well aware of his feelings towards Julie. He didn't need to hear it from either of them. He simply saw it. Their connection and the tension he felt whenever he was around them were undeniable to say the least. "And?" He pressed for more information, hoping something good came out of it. Afterall, he only wanted his friends to be happy. "So what happened?"

"And then…" Adam paused, shutting his eyes as a disappointed sigh slipped from his lips. "Scooter showed up."

"Oh." Charlie frowned, masking the same forlorn expression on his male companion's face. "Ouch." He muttered quietly. "So...how did that go?" He asked, noting the frustration and sadness on his best friend's features. He realized then for the first time that Adam's feelings for Julie ran deeper than he ever expected they could.

"I don't know." He gave a weak shrug in return, feeling the turmoil swell over him. "She's with him right now-"

He lost his train of thought the moment he looked up from the ground and saw Julie walking up the stair steps. She paused in the middle of the stairway, barely hearing their muffled voices as their eyes met in an intense stare. His chest felt heavy once he realized she had been crying, her gaze suspiciously red and swollen with stained tears reflecting on her face. He had never seen her cry before as the image before him made his insides clenched.

"I should go." Charlie spoke quietly, patting his best friend on the back for some much needed comfort and support. "Good luck." He got up from the bleachers and motioned towards Julie's direction. Adam watched on as Charlie and Julie exchange a few words before the two share a quick hug and parted ways.

They were left alone with the silence lingering between them. She hesitantly started to make her way towards Adam, causing him to slowly rise up from the bleachers and walk a few steps to her. They met halfway, stopping a few feet from each other with the tension between them growing heavier by the minute. He instinctively stuffed his hands in the front pockets of his Eden Hall Warriors hoodie out of pure nervousness as he felt his heart racing and body trembling. But as he looked at her, he can see guilt extruding from her—in her posture, on her face and in her eyes. He had to force himself to keep it together and try to read what was really going on beneath the surface. So he dragged his thoughts away and refocused his attention on the pair of emerald eyes that were watching him calmly.

"Julie, is everything alrigh—"

"Why didn't you tell me you were at the airport?" She began bluntly, keeping her tone even. Adam flinched visibly at the suddenness of the question as his lips parted in disbelief.

"H-how did you—"

"Scooter saw you."

He opened his mouth to respond but closed it quickly, fidgeting uncomfortably from where he stood. A muscle in his jaw clenched as he ran the tips of his fingers through his disheveled hair. There was no point in denying it now as he gathered up the nerve to finally tell her. "I'm sorry." His words were quietly spoken as he managed to clear the lump he felt in his throat. "I wanted to surprise you…I wanted to tell you things...tell you that I-" He cut himself off and shook his head, trying to find the right words that were fleeing from him. "But then I saw Scooter, and it just reminded me of what you two share. I just couldn't come between the two of you. I don't want to complicate things regardless of how I feel about you."

And _there_…there was that hint, that confirmation she was looking for, that she was right about his feelings towards her. There was a long moment of silence following his words, the shock and confusion draining from her eyes as she seem to grasp what was just said.

Julie swallowed thickly and took a deep breath, allowing some of the tension she'd been carrying on her shoulders to escape. "How you feel about me?" Her voice trailed off helplessly, not knowing how to respond. Adam then reached out to her; his touch causing her to tremble slightly, but she couldn't give in. She had to make him see that this couldn't happen, no matter how much they wanted it.

"Julie-"

"We can't." She said quietly, jerking away from his touch. But he wasn't deterred. He once again closed the distance between them and forced her to meet his heavy-lidded gaze.

"Why not?" His voice was soft, yearning and sent chills down her spine. Julie felt her resolve begin to crumble and helplessly shook her head with words fleeing her. "Answer me." He implored her, "Please."

"It's not right." Her voice was barely a whisper as Adam's eyes widened slightly.

"It's not?"

"I just broke Scooter's heart, Adam." Julie informed him flatly, her expression serious as she stepped away from him. "People will talk. And as much as I want to be with you, nothing good comes out of it. I couldn't live with myself for what that will do to him...what it could do to you and to me when word gets out."

"Julie..." There was a broken note in his tone that made her look up to face him. Her entire body was trembling and her heart was pounding so hard in her chest that she feared it would explode.

"I'm so sorry. I can't do this."

"Julie, wait!"

She turned around and hurriedly ran down the stair steps, leaving a stunned Adam behind as he painfully watch her go. "Wait..."

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**A/N:** Don't forget to leave a review. Pretty please? I'd really appreciate it! =D


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